Member Spotlight

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT FVMA Member Cares for Endangered Florida Panther Kittens

FVMA member Ashley Ayoob, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM, stepped in to care for two-week old panther kittens after their mother showed signs of intermittent ataxia with hind-end weakness. The illness, a threat to both the mother and her two kittens, forced the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to intervene in order so save the young, endangered panthers. The FWC presented the two kittens to BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital to be cared for in July of 2019. The kittens, just two weeks old, required 24/7 nursing care and continuous monitoring for neurological deterioration.

Dr. Ayoob, board certified in veterinary emergency and critical care, jumped at the chance to help. The kittens' needs, similar to any neonatal animal, included bottle feedings, heat support and grooming. She monitored the kittens as they grew and performed daily neurological exams.

“While under my care they appeared to be very healthy and vigorous,” Dr. Ayoob said. “As these are exotic large animals, we did try to limit their interaction with humans so as not to create an unnatural bond between this wild species and humans.”

The neurological condition that affected the kittens' mother is still being looked into by the FWC. The FWC has termed this condition feline leukomyelopathy (FLM). A definitive cause has not been identified, but possible causes include degenerative diseases, environmental toxin exposure, nutritional deficiencies and infectious disease. So far, the FWC has only documented eight cases (two panthers and six bobcats) of FLM. Dr. Ayoob says the affected cats have been recorded from South Florida up to the Gainesville area; the afflicted mother came from Collier County.

Ashley Ayoob, DVM, DACVECC, DACVIM.

Unfortunately, the mother of the kittens had to be captured and euthanized due to her deteriorating condition. Dr. Ayoob says that, because she was documented, this has helped experts gain further insight into this disorder.

The panther kittens are currently at White Oak Conservancy near Jacksonville, Florida. They remain healthy and robust with no current clinical signs. Dr. Ayoob hopes others in the veterinary medical field can play a more active role in protecting panthers’ well-being and understanding the diseases that afflict them. The Florida panther is an endangered species and the FWC continues to monitor their population. Only 120-230 are estimated to be left in the wild. Dr. Ayoob says the collection of biomedical information is critical, not only for assessing the health of the individual animal, but also for assessing risk factors for the population. The gathering of biomedical information and the treatment of domestic species, for infectious diseases, nutritional deficiencies, degenerative diseases and toxins that can cause cross-species disease, help protect this endangered species.

Dr. Ayoob’s clinical interests include infectious disease, sepsis and shock, transfusion medicine, and disorders of coagulation. She has authored internationally published, scientific articles in these fields.