Prairie Dog Pals

Dedicated to the Preservation of Prairie Dogs and their Habitat

Monkey Pox Talking Points

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Thanks to Kaitie Schneider, Program Coordinator, Rockies and Plains Program, Defenders of Wildlife who put together the following talking points regarding the Monkey Pox outbreak:

According to the CDC, in the summer of 2003, health officials and scientists investigated several reports of monkeypox among individuals who became ill after having contact with sick captive prairie dogs. Investigators determined that a shipment of animals from Ghana were imported to Texas in April 2003 and introduced monkeypox virus to captive prairie dogs in the United States. In total, 47 persons became ill with monkeypox during this time. The disease is caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the orthopoxvirus group of viruses. The prairie dogs in the pet trade acquired the monkeypox virus following contact with these infected rodents that were imported as exotic pets. These prairie dogs were sold as pets before they developed signs of infection. This was the first time that human monkeypox cases were reported outside of Africa.

Read more at:  Monkey Pox

 

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Fipronil Pellets Reduce Flea Abundance on Black-tailed Prairie Dogs: Potential Tool for Plague Management and Black-footed Ferret Conservation

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Abstract

In western North America, sylvatic plague (a flea-borne disease) poses a significant risk to endangered black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) and their primary prey, prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.). Pulicides (flea-killing chemicals) can be used to suppress fleas and thereby manage plague. In South Dakota, USA, we tested edible “FipBit” pellets, each containing 0.84 mg fipronil, on free-living black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludivicianus). FipBits were applied along transects at 125 per ha and nearly eliminated fleas for 2 mo. From 9-14 mo post-treatment, we found only 10 fleas on FipBit sites versus 1,266 fleas on nontreated sites. This degree and duration of flea control should suppress plague transmission. FipBits are effective, inexpensive, and easily distributed but require federal approval for operational use.

David A Eads, Travis M Livieri, Phillip Dobesh, Eddie Childers, Lauren E Noble, Michele C Vasquez, Dean E Biggins
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Coyote-killing contests banned

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SANTA FE – Just over a week after being sworn into office, state Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard has taken aim at coyote-killing contests on 9 million acres of New Mexico state trust land.

In an executive order that could prove difficult to enforce, the recently elected land commissioner described the organized killing contests as being inconsistent with sound land management and damaging to the natural order between predators and prey.

“These are not hunting contests – they are animal cruelty contests,” said Garcia Richard, who was joined by more than a dozen environmental and wildlife advocates at a Thursday news conference at the State Land Office.

Read more:  Ban

 

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Treatment of malocclusion in squirrel

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This is an interesting article about a squirrel with malocclusion.  Over the years we have captured prairie dogs with similar problems.  Sometimes a simple clipping of the teeth sets them to right.  Other times the malocclusion cannot be rectified and the animal cannot be released.  In these cases the prairie dog and the person fostering it face a decision of removing the incisors or a lifetime of trimming.  Jim T previously and is currently fostering such a prairie dog.

Here’s the original note that appeared on our Facebook page:  Congrats to Mikey! As he was processing in today, doing the 2/4/20 (2 eyes, 4 teeth, 20 toes) he noted that the PD had ram’s horn teeth. The disorder is usually caused by dislocation of the teeth preventing them from meeting and keeping the upper and lower incisors in check. In this particular case the PD had been born without lower teeth, or had lost them at some point in its life. Eventually they would have grown through roof of the mouth and caused death by starvation or infection. YB and C Rex, trimmed the teeth but without lower teeth to keep the uppers in check, it is likely this this PD will not be released. While I don’t have a picture the upper teeth were about 1″ long and curved back into the mouth. The fact that this PD did not starve indicates that he was able to get enough nutrition using his molars.

It is reassuring that the treatment seems to work well for prairie dogs as well.  Read More:  Treatment of malocclusion in squirrel

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