Fox salmonellosis

Salmonellosis, also known as paratyphoid fever, is a common disease in young foxes and birds. The infection of young foxes is caused by acute process, fever, dysentery, rapid weight loss, significant enlargement of spleen and local epidemic of liver variation.

Pathogen: the pathogen is Brevibacterium, one to three microns long and 0 wide. 5-0. 6 microns, blunt round at both ends, no capsule and spores, flagellum, motile, Gram-negative bacteria.

This strain can grow in variable medium and is both aerobic and anaerobic. It became turbid in broth medium, then precipitated, and formed smooth, micro-raised, round and translucent gray-white colonies on Agar medium for 24 hours.

Salmonella can ferment glucose, monosaccharide, mannitol, sorbitol, maltose, acid and gas. Lactose and sucrose cannot be fermented, so it can be distinguished from other intestinal bacteria.

This bacteria has strong resistance, 60 degrees Celsius for one hour, 70 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, and 75 degrees Celsius for five minutes.

It has strong resistance to low temperature and can survive after 115 days on Agar medium at-10 degrees Celsius. It can survive for 2-3 months in dry SARS and up to four years in dry feces, at 0. 1% liter of mercury bath, 0. 2% formaldehyde solution and 3% carbolic acid solution can be killed for 15-20 minutes. Cured meat containing 29% salt can survive for four to eight months at 6-12 degrees Celsius.

Symptoms: the incubation period of natural infection is 8 to 20 days, with an average of 14 days; the incubation period of artificial infection is 2 to 5 days.

The acute diseased fox, which refuses to eat, is excited at first and then depressed, and its body temperature rises to 41 to 42 degrees Celsius, slightly fluctuating throughout the disease period, and the body temperature drops only before death. Most of the sick foxes lie in a small room, with more arched waist when walking, tears in their eyes and slow movement of the cage. Dysentery, vomiting, and death in a coma. It usually takes five to ten hours or extends to two to three days to die.

After subacute course, the diseased fox mainly shows a high degree of gastrointestinal dysfunction, body temperature rising to 40 to 41 degrees Celsius, mental depression, superficial respiratory frequency, and loss of appetite. The diseased fox has a dishevelled coat, sunken eye sockets and sometimes suppurative conjunctivitis. A few cases have mucous rhinorrhea or cough. The sick fox soon lost weight, had dysentery, and some of them vomited. Feces become liquid or watery, mixed with a large amount of gelatinous mucus, some mixed with blood, weak limbs, especially the hind limbs often show seal-like mop, stand up, do not support the hind legs, sometimes stop squatting, like sleeping. Incomplete paralysis of the hindlimb occurs in the later stage of the disease. In the case of high exhaustion, he died in seven to fourteen days. Mucous membrane and skin jaundice often occur, especially the disease caused by Salmonella cholerae cholerae is more obvious.

Chronic illness, digestive disorders, loss of appetite, diarrhea, feces mixed with mucus, gradual weight loss, anemia, eye collapse, and sometimes suppurative conjunctivitis. Sick foxes mostly lie in small rooms, rarely exercise, walk unsteadily and move slowly. In the case of high failure, he died after three to four weeks.

Diagnosis: according to the epidemiological and pathological anatomical changes, a preliminary diagnosis can be made. The final diagnosis is to carry out bacterial examination, bacteria can be isolated from the organs and blood of dead animals, and biological tests can be carried out. Salmonellosis of fur animals can be quickly examined before death. Blood samples were collected by aseptic operation, inoculated in three to four branches, Agar medium slope or broth culture medium, and cultured in a 37mi 38 degrees Celsius incubator. The bacteria grew after 8 hours. The culture and known salmonella positive serum agglutination reaction, can be diagnosed.

Prevention and treatment: in order to maintain heart function, 20% camphor oil can be injected subcutaneously, and 0 for young foxes. 5-1 ml. Treated with chloramphenicol, neomycin and levomycin, 5-10 mg for young foxes and 20-30 mg for adult foxes, mixed with feed for 7-10 days.

Strengthening the feeding and management during pregnancy and lactation plays an important role in improving the resistance of young foxes to salmonellosis, especially the fresh and full price diet of weaning foxes. The management requires that the small room be kept clean and hygienic.

Veterinary hygiene should be strengthened and foxes contaminated with salmonella should not be allowed to feed foxes. The suspected feed should be treated innocuously before feeding. If the disease is found, the cage appliances should be strictly disinfected for isolation treatment immediately. Cured foxes still need to be kept in isolation until the skin is removed.