IMPORTANT: Some of these symptoms may be indicative of other illnesses, and we cannot assume that all cases are the same disease. If an animal in your care is affected, seek veterinary assistance, and if it dies it would be valuable, wherever possible, to obtain an autopsy.
These symptoms can progress rapidly. Please note that unless you have already experienced this issue, early symptoms would be very difficult to recognise and it is most likely that you will only become aware of affected joeys at the latter stage, where the joey is actually having a seizure and may consequently die, or you may find the joey dead in the yard.
Phase 1 – Very early symptoms (some or all of the following. If the illness progresses rapidly, these may not be observed)
• Wanting to spend lots of time in pouch
• Vagueness – looking in the air or to the side e.g. during feeding
• Increased vocalisation
• Slight shaking of arms or legs
• Eye twitching
• High temperature (hot to touch)
• Skittish/panicky – a normally placid macropod is suddenly afraid. If it is in its pouch it may be shaking and vocalising. If out of pouch it hops away, crashing around the yard as if terrified.
Phase 2 – Peti-mals
• Jerky/twitching of arms, legs, tail or combination
• Inability to focus, distant or (in occasional circumstances) seems blind
• Loss of balance
• Peti-mals (spasiming, major twitching) progressing to grand-mal
Phase 3 – Grand-mals – Some animals progress to this phase quickly – some are found in yard already at this stage with no prior indications
• Major Seizure – head thrown back
• Sometimes vocalising (not always)
• Drooling
• Seizures sometimes last hours and in some wallabies are difficult to control with Diazapam. In others, treatment with Diazepam has fairly speedy results
• On some occasions the wallaby has fitted regularly at the same time each day e.g. 2.30pm.
• In other cases the fit will last a short period and (if sedated with Diazepam straight away) the wallaby is symptom free approx. 1 hour later
• Some joeys have had symptoms following Stage 3 similar to “a stroke” eg. loss of cognitive function, loss of balance/limb paralysis. In some instances these symptoms have dissipated but only with Diazepam intervention immediately and in one case thus far the joey survived but had residual neurological issues.
Through all stages there is:
• Rarely a loss of appetite
• No change to faeces – good pellets throughout
Affected joeys have been known to relapse after weeks of being symptom free.
Initially we thought that very small grass ticks were the vector as they were in plague proportions with our initial cases. However there have not been large numbers of ticks present during many subsequent occurrences. We also suspected it might be insect borne however as part of the research we fully insect-proofed an enclosure used for animals in the 'danger range' and the cases continued.
Even though there are instances where "batches" of joeys have been affected at the same time or in relatively close succession there are also many cases where individuals are affected and not the remaining cohort.
We have never observed symptoms in our local wild macropods or in our released wallabies or their offspring.
Despite extensive investigations no pathogen has been found. HOWEVER our research does have some preliminary findings which, while requiring further investigation, offer a strong indication of the nature of the problem.
IF YOUR JOEYS MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE PLEASE CONTACT A MEMBER OF THE RESEARCH TEAM.
As an immediate response If your joey is experiencing seizures:
• Diazapam at vet recommended (normal) dose rate to stop seizures (for major seizures, higher dose rates may be necessary). Please note this must be administered immediately when Phase 2 or 3 symptoms start in order to be effective.
• Attempt to reduce temperatures wherever possible, particularly in hot weather.
Historically we did find the use of Doxycycline and/or Flagyl improved survival rates but did not eliminate the issue in all joeys. Carers in another wildlife group have also experimented with the use of Levetiracetam. See Case Study page.
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