Preliminary medical tests of three male and five female dogs confirmed infections and viral load in blood
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Chennai: In a strange occurrence, eight wild dogs from Arignar Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur here have been hospitalised at Madras Veterinary College (MVC) Hospital in critical condition.
For a week, the wild dogs had been acting abnormally by sleeping excessively and seeming tired and restless. Even after treatment in the zoo hospital, the health of the predators failed to improve and finally they were rushed to the ICU at MVC.
Preliminary medical tests of three male and five female dogs confirmed infections and viral load in blood. However, to avoid any further such occurrences and to prevent any epidemic outbreak, the other wild canines have been injected with preventive medicines.
According to zoo insiders, the zoo's veterinary care has dipped after one of its head veterinary doctor resigned to take up a foreign assignment. No effort has been taken to replace him.
Since there is not enough medical staff there is a risk of zoonotic diseases spreading to other animals. When contacted, zoo deputy director, Sudhakar, said there is no need for serious worry.
Animals usually fell sick whenever there was a change in weather, only this time it had affected the dogs severely. "There is absolutely no danger to the other animals and we are sure that the wild dogs will recover fast too. Steps are being taken to recruit a veterinarian," he said.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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