1Project Associate, Centre for studies on Wildlife Management and Health, RAJUVAS, Bikaner
Veterinary Officer at Jodhpur Zoo, Animal Husbandry Department, Rajasthan
Online published on 19 December, 2013.
A three and half year old spotted deer (Axis axis; family Cervidae) weighing 38 kg was found dead in early morning at Deer enclosure in Jodhpur Zoo in the month of Nov. 2013. The care taker has reported that animal was apparently normal one day before. Post mortem examination was conducted to investigate the actual cause of death. No external injury was found. All visceral organs were examined macroscopically as well as microscopically for pathological findings. Lungs were found highly congested. The histopathological examination of lung tissue showed diffuse infiltration by neutrophils with formation of peri- bronchiolar abscesses. No granuloma was found. The alveolar spaces had hemorrhagic eodematous fluid with neutrophils in them. All other organs were found normal. The above observations were indicating that the animal had suffered from atypical acute pneumonitis and died without showing occult clinical symptoms.
