Mountain Lion

Mountain Lion, Cougar, or Puma

Puma concolor

IDAPA Classification: Big Game

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Health Issues Which May Affect This Animal

Trichinosis

What Causes This Disease?

Trichinosis is a disease caused by a nematode parasite, Trichinella spiralis.

Where Is The Disease Found?

Trichinosis occurs throughout North American and can be found in grizzly bears, polar bears, black bears, feral swine, mountain lions, wolverines, wolves, coyotes, and foxes. Trichinosis has been documented in black bears and mountain lions in Idaho. Trichinosis has been documented in humans associated with consuming home-made jerky made from a cougar and a black bear in Idaho.

Signs of Disease

Animals infected with trichinosis generally appear healthy. Trichinosis is hard to detect when butchering because there are few lesions and the cysts are very small. The cysts are most common in the muscles of the jaw, tongue, and diaphragm. Animals that are infected with adult worms may have swollen intestines with small bruises on the intestinal wall. Affected muscles and associated lymph nodes may be soft and swollen.

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