Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects
Date of Award
Fall 4-12-2024
Document Type
Honors Paper
Degree Name
Zoo and Conservation Science-BS
Department
Biology & Earth Science
Advisor
Dr. Andrew Calinger-Yoak
First Committee Member
Dr. Andrew Calinger-Yoak
Second Committee Member
Dr. Jennfer Bennett
Third Committee Member
Dr. Michele Acker
Keywords
Squirrel, Real-Time PCR, Bordetella Bronchiseptica, Wildlife Rehabilitation, Veterinary Science
Subject Categories
Animal Sciences | Biology | Higher Education | Microbiology | Veterinary Medicine
Abstract
Wild orphaned and injured Eastern Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) at a midwestern wildlife rehabilitator, the Ohio Wildlife Center, were experiencing increased mortality rates due to unknown respiratory illness. A qPCR test for B. bronchiseptica was developed and cleared for use at the Ohio Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for the purpose of testing individuals experiencing symptoms. 65 individuals from the Ohio Wildlife Center were tested, and all tests were found to be negative for B. bronchiseptica. This evidence strongly indicates that the mortalities were caused by aspiration pneumonia or some other unknown pathogen. Future testing could be pursued by the Ohio Wildlife Center to determine this for certain.
To better understand these findings and to search for other causative factors for young squirrel mortality, historical Eastern Gray Squirrel survival data from 2020-2024 was investigated using a generalized linear model. Of the possible correlated factors of location, injury type, season, and weight, only weight showed a significant relationship (p
Licensing Permission
Copyright, all rights reserved. Fair Use
Recommended Citation
Laird, Gabriella, "Survey of Bordetella bronchiseptica Presence in Eastern Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis)" (2024). Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects. 184.
https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/stu_honor/184
Acknowledgement 1
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Acknowledgement 2
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