Hi all,

Just back from a great hunt in Namibia (report to come). On the plane ride back I had a stray thought enter my mind. Namibia has been having a bit of a rabies outbreak and kudu are particularily vulnerable. Does anyone know what symptoms a kudu might show? I shot 2 kudu, both of whom had had swelling on their (for lack of knowing the right term) front ankle. Both also leaked a fair bit of clear fluid from their heads (didn't think to figure out the source though).

Dean

My guy in Namibia says there was a rabies outbreak about 6 months ago mostly in dogs, but that it seems to be a done deal. There was also some talk of anthrax and the only reported case was apparently a domestic cow in Botswana. Finally, there IS an outbreak of Polio in namibia so it's a good idea to get another vaccination.

I think advanced rabies causes foaming at the mouth, maybe drooling as well. Not sure, never seen one up close.

quote:

I shot 2 kudu, both of whom had had swelling on their (for lack of knowing the right term) front ankle. Both also leaked a fair bit of clear fluid from their heads (didn't think to figure out the source though).

Oh shit....you didn't touch them did you!

It does not sound like you have a problem. Rabies is a neurogical disease so you would see behavioral changes rather than joint swelling. It goes through stages:
1) Prodromal phase: mild behavioral changes, fever, loss of appetite
2) Furious phase: "mad dog syndrome"
3) Paralytic phase: Inability to swqallow, Drooping jaw (i.e. drooling- mouth foaming), choking
4) Coma then Death.

quote:

Originally posted by maki:
Hi all,

Just back from a great hunt in Namibia (report to come). On the plane ride back I had a stray thought enter my mind. Namibia has been having a bit of a rabies outbreak and kudu are particularily vulnerable. Does anyone know what symptoms a kudu might show? Dean

Dean, the most common rabies symptoms that shows up in kudu are the following:

First and foremost, the horns will take on a distinct spiral starting at the base and ending at the tip.

Second, they will develop white "chevron" markings on their face

Third, The rabid kudu will develop a long shaggy growth of hair that extends along the bottom of the neck.

Fourth, they become gray or slightly blue in color with distinct lighter gray almost white stripes.

Finally the rabid kudu will become shy and reclusive in it's behavior and will emit a loud barking noise when it senses danger.

If your Kudus showed or displayed any of these symptoms you should immediately check yourself into the nearest local public health care clinic for detox and rehab treatment!! You may also need to enter a hyper baric chamber for up to three months.

Good luck..

Surestrike,
You made me laugh out loud!!!!

Surestike,

You are completely correct except for the cure. To cure yourself you should immediately schedule a 14 day hunt in the middle of Africa hunting anything that moves. That will usually subside your symptoms and cure your ailments.

It seems to be somewhat true because when we hunted Namibia this year (End of May-Mid June) our group shot 12 kudu that didnt have any symptoms and 1 that had the symptoms that RWH describes it seems it was in a crossover from Furious Phase and Paralytic phase it attacked one of the hunting trucks on the way back to camp and it was drooling and foaming at the mouth the PH told our friends to shoot it and explained to us about the rabies outbreak and that they had shot a few that had rabies. There were also couple reports in the paper about Rabid Kudu's while we were there that our PH's read to us. Just our experience that we had may shed a little light on the subject.

Aloha!!!

Makes you wonder.
Rabies can only be transmitted by body fluid exchahnge (e.g. saliva in a bite wound). That means that some canine (or something) got a chance to bite the kudu.

I like graybird's cure. Do you think my wife will go for it?

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
My guy in Namibia says there was a rabies outbreak about 6 months ago mostly in dogs, but that it seems to be a done deal. There was also some talk of anthrax and the only reported case was apparently a domestic cow in Botswana. Finally, there IS an outbreak of Polio in namibia so it's a good idea to get another vaccination.

I think advanced rabies causes foaming at the mouth, maybe drooling as well. Not sure, never seen one up close.

No worries about the POLIO outbreak. Some nice people from the government will arrive at the farm, line everyone up, and give you a vaccination whether you want one or not. If you ask for documentation that you received the vaccination they will grab your thumb and make a mark across the nail bed with some sort of third world thumb marking pen.

It's all part of the African experience. Gives you one more story to tell the folks back home.

quote:

Originally posted by graybird:
Surestike,

You are completely correct except for the cure. To cure yourself you should immediately schedule a 14 day hunt in the middle of Africa hunting anything that moves. That will usually subside your symptoms and cure your ailments.

You're my kind of doctor! I'll be sure to follow this advice and be very careful to get kudu slobber down my back again ensuring the need for another round of treatment.

As to the polio, the Namibian government was doing the first of 3 rounds of vacinations while I was there. They were saying that no one, regardless of their immunization status was going to be able to leave the country unless they participated. I ended up taking the oral vaccine and know of 2 groups of American hunters who did the same. It was a complete non-event and in the end no one at the airport asked anyone, foreign or Namibian about it.

Dean

RWH- one kudu gets infected- chews a few leaves wanders on- then 10 mins later next kudu eats from the same branch and hey presto Two rabid kudu.

Presumably the first rabid kudu is one that gets bitten- then they spread it quickly through the whole kudu population (not as fast as in the jackals but pretty fast.) Usual burn out time for a rabies outbreak is six months for regular street virus - Same strain as is found in the Americas and most of Europe.

Reading the reports this was a case of regular street virus rabies. ( the other three strains have different caricteristics- if you want an essay ask and I will explain at length!).

Done autopsies and recovered brain and blood samples from many rabid kudu in 85/86. All were acting noticably strange.

NB- Rabies is quite difficult to catch! If you went arround lapping up kudu saliva or drinking blood... Start couse of jabs now.

If you are really worried, start course anyway- Provided you don't let a vet give you the jabs... In Zim the entire course is US$25. Day 1, day 3, day 9 etc. And no, not in your stomach anymore. I keep my vaccination current - After you have had 3 jabs a simple blood test will show if you are now immune or need the rest of the course and then 1/10 of a cc subcutaniously every year keeps you covered.