Experts checked every single tiger to see if they suffered from any disease and the drugs being used on them. 21 tigers were given their first vaccine shots on Thursday, and 2-4 weeks after they would be given their second shots along with the other 14 tigers.
The only way to vaccinate the big cats is by using blow darts.
"Respiratory diseases and diseases caused by leukocytosis are dangerous and can cause death very quickly, especially in cubs," Marc Goelkel, head of the animal and veterinary equipment management division at the Ninh Binh bear conservation facility, said.
The tigers would need to receive two booster shots within a month and then annual booster shots, he said.
The vaccines are to prevent herpes, leukocytosis and respiratory diseases caused by chlamydia and calicivirus, all common in felines.
At the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center, each cage holds two or three tigers due to the limited space. To vaccinate them, each has to be separated from the others.
A shot contains 2 ml of vaccine. Once they are shot, the needles fall off when a tiger moves.
Hai, 50, a vet at the center, said the cats must be distracted and the blow darts hidden from them.
In the case of tigers that are aggressive, several people are needed to distract them before they can be vaccinated.
Goelkel is one of the few tiger experts in Vietnam. Each tiger's personality needs to be considered before they are injected.
Smaller animals receive the vaccine shots directly from caretakers. The amount of vaccine needed depends on the animal’s weight.
A wildcat is held down for a health checkup and vaccination. It could leave felines fatigued and without an appetite, but they recover in one or two days.
They get a second shot after two weeks.
An employee uses a blowdart to vaccinate a tiger.
