1. Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis is a severe acute inflammation of the gastric and intestinal mucosa and its deep tissues.
Symptoms: In the early stage, infected monkeys experience indigestion and decreased appetite; diarrhea is watery or pasty, and severe cases develop into purulent bloody stools with yellow-red color, mixed with pus, blood clots, and mucus. At this time, infected monkeys become lethargic, lose their appetite, and their body temperature drops. They may even die from exhaustion. They exhibit drooping heads, loss of appetite, decreased body temperature, and death from shock.
Treatment methods: Refer to the treatment of bacterial dysentery.
2. Bacterial Dysentery
Bacterial dysentery has a rapid onset and spreads rapidly. It is a common disease among squirrel monkeys in monkey farms, especially in newly introduced monkeys. When they are dehydrated and hungry during transportation, they tend to overeat and drink excessively once they arrive at the farm, leading to indigestion and diarrhea. If not treated promptly, it quickly progresses to dysentery. The main symptoms include listlessness, decreased appetite, complete loss of appetite, severe dehydration, sunken eye sockets, emaciation, decreased body temperature, cold hands and feet, drooping heads, and curled-up bodies. If the condition persists for 1-2 days, death occurs.
Treatment methods: The treatment methods for gastroenteritis and dysentery are generally the same, but different medications should be used according to the changes in the disease. When an infected monkey is found, it should be immediately isolated and treated. The monkey house should be thoroughly disinfected, and the entire group of monkeys should be medicated. Typically, a broad-spectrum antibacterial drug, tetracycline, is administered at a dose of 2 tablets (0.5 grams) per monkey, once a day, continuously for 2-3 days. Comprehensive treatment should be given to infected monkeys, including oral sulfamethidine (S.G) twice a day, 0.5 grams each time, initially 1 gram; intramuscular injections of streptomycin, berberine, or Tatsinchuan injection, with dosage adjusted for adult and young monkeys. If there is no improvement after 2 consecutive days, oral ribavirin should be taken 1-2 times a day, with a dosage of 200 mg each time. Alternatively, dissolve ribavirin in 20 ml of warm water and slowly pour the solution into the stomach using a catheter inserted through the nostril. Also, administer intramuscular injections of chloramphenicol and baimuilin, with a dose of 500,000 units per adult monkey, adjusted for young monkeys, once a day for 3-4 consecutive days. Meanwhile, provide careful nursing care and feed more fruits or easily digestible foods. Some glucose can be added to the drinking water. This treatment method has a high cure rate, reaching over 95%.
3. Pneumonia
Due to changes in weather, adult monkeys or young monkeys with weak constitutions are prone to colds. If not treated promptly, colds can quickly progress to pneumonia and lead to death. Therefore, once an infected monkey is found, it should be immediately given cold medicine, and severe cases require injections. Commonly used drugs include Chaihu Injection, Bingoulqin Injection, with the dosage for intramuscular injection the same as that in humans. For newly arrived monkeys or sudden changes in weather, it is advisable to use herbal remedies such as Sesame, Calabash Tea, Daqing, Gouyang Vine, Monkey Pine Leaf, or Ash Tree Leaf to prepare water for the monkeys to drink freely, which can prevent colds and save on medical expenses, with good preventive effects.
Pneumonia is one of the most common acute infectious diseases among macaques in monkey farms. It is caused by a variety of pathogens, mainly pneumococcus, which infects through the respiratory tract. If infected monkeys are promptly detected and isolated for treatment, the disease is relatively easy to cure.
Symptoms: Similar to human pneumonia, the disease has a rapid onset and is mainly characterized by coughing, elevated body temperature, and in severe cases, prone positioning with abdominal breathing. The infected monkeys experience decreased appetite or complete loss of appetite, palpable moist rales, irregular heart rhythm, and dullness during percussion.
Treatment methods: Oral tetracycline or erythromycin, 2 tablets each time, twice a day for adult monkeys; intramuscular injections of penicillin (twice a day, 400,000 units each time) combined with streptomycin (twice a day, 500,000 units each time, with a reduction of 100,000 to 200,000 units for young monkeys). For severe cough, use cough suppressant (Compound Licorice) and give some sweetened water, either by gavage or free feeding. With the above treatment methods, the cure rate can reach over 95%.
The main reason why the Squirrel Monkey is so likable is that it is not only smart but also not picky eaters. It is a omnivorous pet, and it is not too much trouble to keep it. It can also get angry. If you make it unhappy, it will retaliate accordingly, such as hitting you, hiding your things, causing damage, and so on.
For domesticated Squirrel Monkeys, you can consider feeding them fruits, strawberries, nuts, flowers, flower buds, seeds, insects, and small vertebrates. The food prepared for them should be diversified and provide them with sufficient and comprehensive nutrition. Be sure not to feed them with a single food for a long time. Under normal circumstances, as long as you give it, it will not refuse what humans eat.
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