Results
The
morbidity sketch, clinic symptom and pathological lesions
According to the statement of the raccoon dogs’ owners and the scene
investigation, the clinic features of the diseased raccoon dogs are
described as following: the first case occurred 4 weeks before; in a
recent month, 47% (425/896) of raccoon dogs showed some abnormal
symptoms, and 17.6% (75/425) among the abnormal ones were too severe to
stand or walk, and 4.2% (18/425) were dead. The disease in young
raccoon dogs was earlier that that in adult ones, there were no
difference between the male and the female.
The symptoms in the early stage: depression, slow responses, loss of
appetite, significant reduction of food intake, increase of body
temperature by 0.5 ~ 1.0℃, disordered coat, curling, and
mucus secretion in the nasal cavity.
The symptoms in the typical clinic stage: the disease in most raccoon
dogs was characterized by the symptoms such as suppuration of skin
or/and joints and severe respiratory dysfunction. The suppurative focus
mainly occurred in the limb joints, skins, neck, shoulder, groin, etc;
sometimes pustule burst with yellow-white pus, blood and tissue fluid.
The respiratory dysfunction showed cough, sneezing, asthma, shortness of
breath, cyanosis of visible mucosa, sticky secretion in the nasal
cavity, severe purulent nasal juice, dyspnea and abdominal breathing in
most sick raccoon dogs.
The symptoms in the later stage: weak physique, emaciation, unstable
standing, multiple organs failure, death.
Pathological autopsy: The diseased raccoon dogs in the typical clinic
stage were dissected and the lesions were as following: swollen with
ulceration (Fig.1A) and yellow-white pus (Fig.1B) in the tarsal joint of
the hind limb; some or diffuse hemorrhagic spots or plaques on the
surface of the bladder (Fig.1C); lots of effusion fluid in pleural, many
hemorrhagic spots in diaphragm (Fig.1D); lots of mucous secretions in
the larynx and trachea, and many hemorrhagic spots, hyperemia, white
inflammatory exudation in the lungs (Fig.1E); needle-like hemorrhagic
spots in the epicardium and no pericardial effusion in the pericardium
(Fig.1F); hepatomegaly, lobulation, partial yellowing, gallbladder
filling (Fig.1G); clear hemorrhagic spots in the kidney, whitening of
renal capsule (Fig.1H); splenomegaly, catarrhal inflammation in
intestinal mucosa; congestion and hemorrhagic spots in jejunal mucosa;
many bleeding spots in the initial segment of ileum; many bleeding spots
in some intestinal lymph nodes.
Based on the above clinic symptoms, the disease in raccoon dogs was
suspected to be Staphylococcus infection.