Results of wellness examinations of 28 African hunting dog (Lycaon pictus) puppies at the Denver Zoological Foundation

Abstract

Since 2002 the Denver Zoological Foundation has produced 28 African hunting dog (Lycaon pictus) puppies in 3 litters (7, 14 and 7 pups) from the same dam and sire. Wellness examinations were performed on each puppy. The wellness examinations spanned the range of 6-14 weeks of age. During the wellness examinations, in addition to physical examinations and vaccinations, blood samples for complete blood counts and sera biochemistry were obtained. Weights, morphometric measurements, rectal cultures for enteric pathogens and dental eruption patterns were recorded. Blood samples from each age group were compared with adult values from the Denver Zoo. It was noted that animals from the 14-pup litter were 63.6% of the mean weight of the two 7-pup litters, but size differences (in, for example, total body length) were less apparent. Two organisms were recovered from rectal cultures, namely Yersinia enterocolitica (n = 2) and Plesiomonas shigelloides (n = 3). The following deciduous eruption patterns were also noted; at 6 weeks, 11-3, i1-3, C1, c1, P1-2 and p1-2 (n = 7) were present, at 9-10 weeks, P3 and p3 (n = 21), and finally at 12-14 weeks, P4 (n = 28).