Jaguar (
Panthera onca)
Care Manual
48
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
minimum quarantine period should begin over again. However, the addition
of mammals of a different
order will not require the re-initiation of the quarantine period.
During the quarantine period, specific diagnostic tests should be conducted with each animal if
possible or from a representative sample of a larger population (e.g., birds in an aviary or frogs in a
terrarium) (see Appendix E). A complete physical, including a dental examination if applicable, should be
performed. Animals should be evaluated for ectoparasites and treated accordingly. Blood should be
collected, analyzed and the sera banked in either a -70 °C (-94 °F) freezer or a frost-free -20 °C (-4 °F)
freezer for retrospective evaluation. Fecal samples should be collected and analyzed for gastrointestinal
parasites and the animals should be treated accordingly. Vaccinations should be updated as appropriate,
and if the vaccination
history is not known, the animal should be treated as immunologically naive and
given the appropriate series of vaccinations.
Food provided at the sending institution may be different from that which will be fed at the receiving
institution, and diets from the sending institution are recommended to accompany the animal or at least
be used initially by the receiving institution. It is imperative that the jaguar’s diet not be switched
immediately upon arrival at the new institution. It is better to slowly transition the jaguar to the new diet
while weaning it off the old diet. This will minimize possible anorexia and gastrointestinal problems that
may occur with any dietary change. Most zoos will begin to transition the diet during the quarantine
period.
The AZA Jaguar SSP recommends that member institutions follow AZA and AAZV guidelines for
tuberculin testing. During the quarantine period, three fecal samples for internal parasite evaluation
should be submitted and all parasites treated appropriately while in quarantine. Usually in the time period
between 14–21 days of quarantine (e.g., allowing time for the jaguar to adjust to its new surroundings but
also allowing enough time, prior to moving it to a permanent enclosure, to
respond if a health issue is
determined during the exam), the jaguar should receive a quarantine examination that includes those
tests listed for the pre-shipment examination in section 7.2.
Endoparasites are relatively common and ubiquitous in managed situations. Some parasites may be
acquired from the feed and not be pathogenic in jaguars. Pathogenic species commonly identified in
jaguars are from the orders Ascarididae and Strongyloidae (e.g,
Toxocara,
Toxascaris,
Ancylostoma).
Coccidiosis can also be a problem in managed jaguars. Based on fecal results, antihelminthics should be
administered to minimize the parasite load. These agents are often more effective when administered for
more than one day (i.e., three consecutive days). Follow-up treatment to remove larval stages not
susceptible during the initial treatment may also be required. Thorough daily cleaning and disinfection of
enclosures will substantially lower the chance of re-infections. Antihelmintics that have been effective and
safe in jaguars include:
•
Carbaryl (0.5%) as a topical powder for flea control.
•
Fenbendazole (Panacur
®
, American Hoescht, Somerville, NJ 08876) at 5–10 mg/kg p.o. is most
commonly given as a single day treatment, but it can be given for three consecutive days at this
dose.
•
Ivermectin (Ivomec
®
, Merck and Co., Rahway, NJ 07065) at 0.2 mg/kg s.c. or p.o. is used as a
single day treatment for gastrointestinal parasites. Many AZA accredited zoos administer 0.2
mg/kg ivermectin p.o. on a monthly basis as a heartworm preventative. This is strongly
recommended in heartworm endemic areas.
•
Praziquantel (Droncit
®
, Haver-Lockhart, Shawnee, KS 66201) at 5.5–6.6 mg/kg s.c. or p.o. for
cestodes.
•
Pyrantel pamoate (Strongid
®
, Pfizer Inc., New York, NY 10017) at 3–5 mg/kg p.o. can be given at
this dose for three to five consecutive days.
•
Pyrethrins (0.15%) plus piperonyl butoxide (1.0%) for flea control.
•
Sulfadimethoxine (Albon
®
, Roche Chemical Div., Nutley, NJ 07110) at 50 mg/kg, s.c. or p.o. for
coccidiosis.
Depending on the disease and history of the animals, testing protocols for animals may vary from an
initial quarantine test to yearly repetitions of diagnostic tests as determined by the veterinarian. Animals
should be permanently identified. Use of microchips is widely considered to be best practice but tattoos,
ear notches or their natural markings, if necessary, are other options for jaguars. They can best be
marked when anesthetized or restrained. Release from quarantine should
be contingent upon normal
results from diagnostic testing and two negative fecal tests that are spaced a minimum of two weeks
Jaguar (
Panthera onca)
Care Manual
49
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
apart. Medical records for each animal should be accurately maintained and easily available during the
quarantine period.
The quarantine examination provides a good opportunity to satisfy all those requirements not met (if
any) during the pre-shipment examination. The jaguar should be microchipped at this time if it is not
already permanently identifiable. Release from quarantine should be contingent upon normal test results
and should follow the protocols set forth by the staff veterinarian.
Jaguars are normally solitary, so social issues should not arise from isolation during quarantine.
However, some stereotypic behaviors have been seen in jaguars
including pacing and tail sucking; these may arise
in quarantine
due to stress. Providing jaguars with environmental enrichment
and space that allows them to exhibit species appropriate
behaviors is recommended to be part of the quarantine protocols.
If a jaguar should die in quarantine, a necropsy should be
performed on it to determine cause of death in order to strengthen
the program of veterinary care and meet SSP-related requests
(AZA Accreditation Standard 2.5.1). The institution should have
an area dedicated to performing necropsies, and the subsequent
disposal of the body must be done in accordance with any local or
federal laws (AZA Accreditation Standards 2.5.2 and 2.5.3).
Necropsies should include a detailed external and internal gross
morphological examination and representative tissue
samples
from the body organs should be submitted for histopathological
examination (see Chapter 7.6).
7.4 Preventive Medicine
AZA-accredited institutions should have an extensive
veterinary program that must emphasize disease prevention (AZA
Accreditation Standard 2.0.2). AZA institutions should be aware of
and prepared for periodic disease outbreaks in other animal
populations that might affect the institution’s animals, and should
develop plans to protect the institution’s animals in these
situations (AZA Accreditation Standard 2.0.3). The American
Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV) has developed an
outline of an effective preventative veterinary medicine program
that should be implemented to ensure proactive veterinary care
for all
animals
(
www.aazv.org/associations/6442/files/zoo_aquarium_vet_med_g
uidelines.pdf
).
The physical examination should include body weight,
temperature, pulse, respiration, careful nail and pad evaluation, dental examinations with particular
attention to fractured canines, and a whole body exam for abscesses and lacerations. Species360
provides physiologic reference ranges for managed jaguars with division by sex and age (ISIS, 2002).
The physiological reference ranges combined for managed jaguars of all ages and sexes from 43
member institutions can be found in Appendix J (ISIS, 2002). See Table 14 for normal parameters for
adult jaguars.
Table 14. Normal health parameters for adult jaguars
Measurement
Normal Range
Body weight (adult male)
1
50–80 kg (110–176 lb)
Body weight (adult female)
1
30–70 kg (66–154 lb)
Temperature
37–39.5 °C (98.6–103.1 °F)
Pulse
70–140 bpm
Respiration
8–24 bpm
1
ISIS, 2002
A thorough oral examination is an integral part of a physical examination. The teeth and soft tissue
structures of the mouth and throat should be examined for abnormalities. Dental tartar and calculi are a
AZA Accreditation Standard
(2.5.1) Deceased animals should be
necropsied to determine the cause of
death for tracking morbidity and mortality
trends to
strengthen the program of
veterinary care and meet SSP-related
requests.
AZA Accreditation Standard
(2.0.2) The veterinary care program must
emphasize disease prevention.
AZA Accreditation Standard
(2.0.3) Institutions should be aware of and
prepared for periodic disease outbreaks
in wild or other domestic or exotic animal
populations that might affect the
institution’s animals (ex – Avian Influenza,
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, etc.).
Plans should be
developed that outline
steps to be taken to protect the
institution’s animals in these situations.
AZA Accreditation Standard
(2.5.2) The institution should have an
area dedicated to performing necropsies.
AZA Accreditation Standard
(2.5.3) Cadavers must be kept in a
dedicated storage area before and after
necropsy. Remains must be disposed of
in accordance with local/federal laws.