<p>A 10-year-old male sloth bear, David, succumbed to suspected tuberculosis at the Bear Rehabilitation and Rescue Centre in Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) on Sunday morning. <br /><br /></p>.<p>According to Dr Arun A Sha, wildlife veterinary at BRRC, David was under treatment for the past six months. <br /><br />“Of late, his food habits had become irregular and he completely refused food for the last three days. <br /><br />The postmortem report reveals that the tissues in its lungs were damaged and its lungs had swelled like a balloon. Its condition was critical since he was suffering from the infection for a long time,” he said.<br /><br />This is the third bear death at BRRC, which has reported suspected human tuberculosis among the animals since July, this year. <br /><br />The veterinarians are unable to diagnose the infection among the bears and it was only after their deaths that they found them infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). <br /><br />Refusal to eat was the only symptom that the vets were able to diagnose among the inactive bears at the rescue centre, Dr Arun said.<br /><br />BBP, along with Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAH&VB), has started collecting samples of all the bears at the rescue centre. <br /><br />The bear’s blood, sputum, urine and stool samples are being sent for tests at IAH &VB. At present, three other bears, Kanishka, Danny and Aman, are also refusing food. <br /><br />Dr Arun said that they have discontinued administration of anti-TB drugs for the fear that these animals might develop resistance to the infection. <br /><br />They are on a diet of ragi porridge, papaya or watermelon, and vitamin supplements. <br />These animals are attended with special care to keep them stress-free, since they have been ‘tortured’ throughout their lives by kalandars.<br /><br /></p>
<p>A 10-year-old male sloth bear, David, succumbed to suspected tuberculosis at the Bear Rehabilitation and Rescue Centre in Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) on Sunday morning. <br /><br /></p>.<p>According to Dr Arun A Sha, wildlife veterinary at BRRC, David was under treatment for the past six months. <br /><br />“Of late, his food habits had become irregular and he completely refused food for the last three days. <br /><br />The postmortem report reveals that the tissues in its lungs were damaged and its lungs had swelled like a balloon. Its condition was critical since he was suffering from the infection for a long time,” he said.<br /><br />This is the third bear death at BRRC, which has reported suspected human tuberculosis among the animals since July, this year. <br /><br />The veterinarians are unable to diagnose the infection among the bears and it was only after their deaths that they found them infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). <br /><br />Refusal to eat was the only symptom that the vets were able to diagnose among the inactive bears at the rescue centre, Dr Arun said.<br /><br />BBP, along with Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAH&VB), has started collecting samples of all the bears at the rescue centre. <br /><br />The bear’s blood, sputum, urine and stool samples are being sent for tests at IAH &VB. At present, three other bears, Kanishka, Danny and Aman, are also refusing food. <br /><br />Dr Arun said that they have discontinued administration of anti-TB drugs for the fear that these animals might develop resistance to the infection. <br /><br />They are on a diet of ragi porridge, papaya or watermelon, and vitamin supplements. <br />These animals are attended with special care to keep them stress-free, since they have been ‘tortured’ throughout their lives by kalandars.<br /><br /></p>
