HUSBANDRY PORTFOLIO FOR THE CHEETAH (ACINONYX JUBATUS)

Behavioural patterns of animals for the onset of infectious diseases does tend to have a common trend, including behaviours such as lethargy, anorexia, depression and a reduction in grooming (Hart, 1988). Keepers see these animals every day and therefore, spotting these signs is key to monitoring and maintaining their health, however, many animals in captivity are not always visible and for example, the cheetah is a dangerous animal, restricting the keepers interventions in certain situations. Not only this, animals can hide the signs of illness, preventing keepers from identifying a problem immediately.

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A separate quarantine facility should be available in every collection away from regular quarters. This area should prevent physical contact between individuals. Newly arrived animals are normally quarantined to prevent any new pathogen or parasite from being introduced into a collection of animals. It is also a chance for keepers and veterinarians to collect useful medical information on the individual, such as weight, haemoatological and biochemical examinations and faecal samples. other required tests include; faecal culture and parasitology.

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Quarantine for a new animal arrival is a basic aspect of preventative health as it reduces the risk of infectious disease entering a facility. the facility must meet the conditions set within the Balai Directives (2012). The recommended quarantine period is at least 30 days (Balai, ). According to the Balai  quarantine protocol, felids must be treated for any endo or ecto-parasites within 30 days of transport and vaccinations must be up to date 4 weeks prior to transport.  Once a new cheetah arrives at a facility the past medical history and health certificate should be reviewed and body weight should be obtained.

 

Past medical records should indicate the vaccinations the cheetah has previously had. According to BIAZA’s ‘Guidance on Disease Risk Protocols for New Stock’, Felids are recommended to have had the FELZ and FIV vaccinations prior to exportation from one facility (BIAZA, 2014).

 

Separate staff members should care for animals that are quarantined or if unavailable to do this, staff should attend to healthy animals first to prevent spread of infection. Appropriate precautions should also be taken to minimise exposure to diseases, this includes personal protective equipment and the use of disinfectant footbaths as well as good personal hygiene (Balai, 2012).

 

Quarantine is also used for the physical separation of individuals if an animal has become sick with a disease that is infectious or to avoid harassment from other individuals.

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