Each time we admit another bear cub to our facility, you probably have noticed that the UT vets prescribe deworming medications for them. While all bears and other wild animals generally have parasites, when a young cub, with a smaller body mass and less developed immune system has parasites like intestinal worms the worms rob them of the nutrients in the food they eat. Obviously, this causes problems. Today we have a rather gross and disgusting picture to share of the worms passed by one of our recent arrivals (we think this is Rags, the smaller of the two).
This is a very large amount of parasitic worms from a very small cub!
Here is what was recorded in the Curator’s Notes:
At intake exams at UTVCM #423 and #424 were declared small and underweight but not emaciated. They were prescribed a round of deworming including Praziquantel and Fenbendazole. Both cubs received the appropriate dose of Praziquantel and their first dose of Fenbendazole. Upon curators noticing cubs were sluggish (particularly #424), it was decided that cubs should not receive the next 2 doses of Fenbendazole until they were more acclimated to Hartley House and ABR. The sluggishness was likely due to stress as well as the initial dose of dewormer and the introduction of formula. That is a lot for a little bear’s tummy!
Since the first dose of dewormer, a plethora of worms of all kinds have been found in their scat on multiple occasions, particularly from #424. This would certainly be one reason that explains the small sizes of these 9-month old cubs.
Vets were contacted and it was decided that cubs can have their next two doses of Fenbendazole. #423 gets 2.9ml and #424 gets 2.1ml . In addition to these 2 doses, they will get another round of 3 days of Fenbendazole in 2 weeks. *Note that the cubs do not seem to have any interest in fruit and/or cubby sauce so their meds should be mixed in straight honey.
There you have it – a rigorous treatment for the next couple of weeks. Hopefully, the two wee cubs will be able to gain weight and chubbify as they should! Watch this space!