Psoroptic Scabies in Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) from Wyoming Author(s): A. L. Muschenheim, E. T. Thome, E. S. Williams, S. H. Anderson, and F. C. Wright Source: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 26(4):554-557. Published By: Wildlife Disease Association DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-26.4.554 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.7589/0090-3558-26.4.554
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Journal
of Wildlife
Diseases,
© Wildlife
Psoroptic (Ovis
Scabies
in Rocky
canadensis
Mountain
canadensis)
from
Bighorn
26(4), 1990, pp. 554-557 Disease Association 1990
Sheep
Wyoming
A. L. Muschenheim,’ E. T. Thorne,2 E. S. Williams,3 S. H. Anderson,4 and F. C. Wright,5 ‘Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Box 3166 University Station, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA; 2 Game and Fish Department, Box 3312 University Station, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, 1190 Jackson, Laramie, Wyoming 82070, USA; 4Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Wyoming, Box 3166 University Station, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA; KniplingBushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 232, Kerrville, Texas 78029, USA
ABSTRACT: Thirteen Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) with dinical signs of psoroptic scabies were captured in Wyoming. Signs included droopy ears, depilation on the head and neck, and exudate in the ears. Mites were identified as either Psoroptes cervinus or P. equi. Two ewes with scabies at the time of original capture had no clinical signs of mite infection 1 and 2 yr later. Key words: Scabies, Psoroptes cervinus, Psoroptes equi, Psoroptes ovis, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis canadensis, case reports.
Psoroptes major
ovis
P. cervinus
and
were
across
present
Wyoming
and was thought zootics southwest horn Mountains and the Wind 1937). there
in bighorn
sheep
Frost (1942) authenticated
Mountain canadensis)
herds
south en
shone infected
18
(0.
and
canadensis
nelsoni)
5ev-
the
Sho-
and
1984 1985).
were Many
cluding droopy ears, alopecia on the head, neck and back, and exudate in the ears. During February and March 1986 and 1987, 11 ewes and two young rams exhibiting clinical signs of scabies were captured
reported reports
approximately Wyoming
in the
64 (USA)
km southwest on the South
lower
areas
(44#{176}12’N, and vegetation where
the
of Fork
Cody, of the
109#{176}35’W). sagebnush/ types exist bighorn
sheep
were immobilized hydrochloride (Ke-
taset, Veterinary Products, Bristol Laboratories, Syracuse, New York 13201, USA) and 260 to 340 mg xylazine hydrochloride
of desmexion
1984).
in these herds have been clinical signs of scabies in-
graze. Bighorn sheep with 320 mg ketamine
cana)
to
Mountains Thonne and Creek herd from
River herds in 1983 (Irwin and Hunley,
decades there were few reports of scabies in bighonn sheep since the early epizootics. More recently, scabies due to P. ovis was declines canadensis
bighorn
et al.,
examined
Shoshone River Sagebrush/wheatgnass wheatgrass/ juniper
with population sheep (0.
et al., ovis. known
Absanoka 1964; the Camp
of scabies in bighorn sheep in Wyoming for many years prior to 1942. No cases were documented again until 1963 (Hepworth, 1963). Similarly, until the last few
associated ert bighorn
Mountain currently
(Thorne
sheep
other bighorns observed with
herds
canfrom
the herds that winter on the and the South Fork of the Sho-
of Jackson of
(0.
1984 (Foreyt as Psoroptes
are
shone River in the (Howe and Hepworth, Walthall, 1982) and
a
Range in taken from
sheep transplanted
of Rocky
in Wyoming
be infested; North Fork
Wildlife Mites
bighorn
to Oregon in were identified
Three
(USA) in the late 1800’s to be responsible for epiof Cody and in the Big(Honess and Frost, 1942) Riven Mountains (Seton,
Honess and had been no
Rocky adensis
sheep
in the
was
Desert National (Decker, 1970).
Idaho 1985)
decline of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations in the United States (Ward, 1915; Wright et al., 1933; Bailey, 1936; Seton, 1937; Packard, 1946). Scabies
factor
on the Nevada
the
(Rompun, Haven-Lockhart, Bayvet Division, Cutter Laboratories, Inc., Shawnee, Kansas 66201, USA), on 3 mg carfentanil
San Andres National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico (Lange et al., 1980), in northwestern Arizona (Welsh and Bunch, 1983), and
citrate 554
(Wildnil,
Wildlife
Laboratories,
SHORT
Inc.,
Fort
Collins,
and 15 mg istened by
Colorado
xylazine projectile
hydrochloride ratonies, Inc.
,
80525,
hydrochloride syringe.
(Antagonil, Fort Collins,
Wildlife Colorado
USA) was used to reverse xylazine immobilization.
Laboratories, 80525,
(M50-50,
D-M
Labo80525,
ketamine Carfentanil
xylazine immobilization was w ith naloxone hydrochloride Wildlife Colorado
USA)
adminYohimbine
Inc., USA),
and and
antagonized (Naloxone,
Inc.,
red and raw cases the meplug. Lesions
on other areas were similar less severe or extensive.
but
Mites ples
were
from
observed
five
of
of several only one
animals individual.
ing
ear
and
swab
USA)
on P.
matics
and
USDA, Beltsville,
Agricultural Maryland
and with
photographs lesions and
were physical
made ap-
pearance. Four skin scrapings were taken from the peripheral region of the most encrusted lesions at the junction with nonmal skin on each individual. For some samples hair oven areas to be scraped was clipped Mineral
to increase ease oil was applied
and, using approximately until blood
a fresh
in plastic both ears
bags. with
stored When were
mites. location
removed bags. Skin
Swabs cotton
were tipped
taken swabs,
tubes scabs
with rubber of exudate
from
the
All mite scrapings
ears
and
outer ments
n
=
sheep ho (1
from
from New 134-140
in
samples were ref rigand ear swabs were
Agricultural
L.
setae range
mites)
Biosyste-
Insects
Institute, Service, USA). The
(005) 107 were
measureto 314 m longer
than =
Mexico, Arizona, and Idaxm, Wright et al., 1984). of the
genus
Psoroptes
to
1958,
nine
all
With were
Prior
were described. P. natalensis
ered to be so similar fication was difficult.
that specific Although there
difference,
that species physiological
78029,
Smiley,
for P. ovis from domestic xm, Sweatman, 1958; X et al., 1983) and bighorn
taxonomy
morphological
identified
Research 20705,
zm,
31
=
Mites were skin of ears
Texas
Beneficial
or varieties ception of
stoppers. and debris
(R.
opisthosomal (: = 182 42
in
Wright, KnipInsects Re-
Kerrville,
equi
those reported sheep (: = 122 131 tm, Wright
sam-
sheep
USDA,
Service,
controversial.
from and
stoned
swab
were
(F. C. Livestock
Laboratory,
Research
The
scalpel blade, a scraping 1.5 by 1.5 cm was taken showed. Scrapings were stored
in glass present,
plastic erated.
of locating to each
ear
bighorn
samples
penicillin G benzathine and penicillin procaine, Tech America Group, Inc., wood, Kansas 66024, USA) were given
search
generally
but from the body on Mites from skin scrap-
as either P. cenvinus ling-Bushland U.S.
all animals. Drawings of the areas
in
seven
Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA) on naltrexone hydrochloride (Naltrexone, Wildlife Laboratories, Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado 80525, USA). Antibiotics (Dual-Pen, G Elto
555
epidermis underneath was with senous exudate. In some atus was blocked with a solid
1986 and four of six in 1987. present in scrapings from the
Fort Collins, diprenorphine
Pharmaceuticals,
COMMUNICATIONS
were host differences.
it was
is
species the exconsididentiis little believed
specific indicating Sweatman (1958)
examined (100 x)
under a dissecting microscope for the presence of psoroptic mites
suggested a simplified nomenclature based on monphometnic measurements of the outer opisthosomal setae (OOS) on adult male mites and location of lesions on the
within
48
host.
hr
of collection.
Most the face
lesions occurred and head. Lesions
present
from
to the outer ized by scabs
the
external
surface and of yellowish
in the ears or on on the ears were auditory were white
that the methods
meatus characterdried
rous exudate, exfoliated epidermis taining loosened hairs and off-white When this crusty layer was removed
This
However, tic mites
se-
conmites. the
system
is currently
widely
recent data comparing from a variety of hosts system need
is inadequate to be developed
and
used. psoropindicate
alternate (Wright
al., 1981, 1983, 1984). Sweatman (1958) indicates there is overlap in morphometnic measurements of P. ovis and P. cenvinus making
these
species
very
difficult
to iden-
et
556
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES. VOL. 26, NO.4, OCTOBER
tify; he suggested that these be closely related. Although bighorn sheep
species in
Wyoming
body,
been
mortality
has
not
ming, BAILEY,
sheep and
in New Arizona
Mexico (Welsh
(Lange and
100 m, 1 and 2 yr gross signs of scabies. caused by infestation at 200
scope
Reports increasing. had this
et al., Bunch,
mary
necessarily infested ewes scope within
after capture without Damage to the ears is visible by spotting
meters.
of scabies Considering
on wild should
not
in bighorn sheep are the impact scabies
sheep populations historically be cause for concern. Prelim-
studies
using
psoroptic scabies had encouraging 1983). Further epizootiology sheep.
ivermectin in desert results
research and control
to
and
C.
Riner,
stock search
handling
sheep et al.,
is needed of scabies
on the in wild
Knipling-Bushland
Kerrville, the
(OOS) and Beneficial Research riculture,
Texas 78029, outer opisthosomal
for setae
R. L. Smiley, Biosystematic Insects Institute (Agricultural
and
U.S. Department Maryland 20705,
for identification proprietary product endorsement culture.
Live-
USA)
Service, Beltsville,
of
PACKARD,
or a recommendation by
the
U.S.
Department
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of
in
New
zones
Mexico.
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M. 1946. An ecological sheep in Rocky Mountain Journal of Mammalogy
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of
mange
mites.
1958.
the
On
species
in
Canadian
the
life
history
Psoroptes,
and
a genus
Journal
of
Zoology
of 36:
905-929.
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F.
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life
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1-.33. 1936.
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