Bugs & Parasites
Fleas and Ticks
Small parasitic pests that latch onto wolves, hiding in the fur or skin. They can be groomed out. Soaking in hot springs will also cause them all to let go of the wolf because of the water's healing properties.
Mange
Caused by mites that attach themselves to a wolf's coat or skin. Intense itching is caused by the mites burrowing under the skin to lay eggs. Symptoms include skin lesions, crusting, and fur loss. Wolves that suffer heavy fur loss in northern regions are in danger of freezing to death. Soaking in hot springs will alleviate the wolf of the mites and soothe lesions, though mange will fade away on its own after a few months.
Gut Worms
Known as tapeworms IRL. Often contracted after eating the entrails of prey, gut worms live out the rest of their days in the bellies of affected wolves. While most wolves won't notice many side effects, some will experience weight loss, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, weakness, and malnutrition. Segments of gut worms may show up in feces.
Small parasitic pests that latch onto wolves, hiding in the fur or skin. They can be groomed out. Soaking in hot springs will also cause them all to let go of the wolf because of the water's healing properties.
Mange
Caused by mites that attach themselves to a wolf's coat or skin. Intense itching is caused by the mites burrowing under the skin to lay eggs. Symptoms include skin lesions, crusting, and fur loss. Wolves that suffer heavy fur loss in northern regions are in danger of freezing to death. Soaking in hot springs will alleviate the wolf of the mites and soothe lesions, though mange will fade away on its own after a few months.
Gut Worms
Known as tapeworms IRL. Often contracted after eating the entrails of prey, gut worms live out the rest of their days in the bellies of affected wolves. While most wolves won't notice many side effects, some will experience weight loss, lack of appetite, abdominal pain, weakness, and malnutrition. Segments of gut worms may show up in feces.
Viruses
Common cold
Most wolves will catch a cold in their lifetime, but it only presents a serious risk to the very old and the very young. A cold will go away on its own within 2-3 weeks. Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, runny or stuffy nose, and watery eyes. Speed up the recovery process by soaking in hot springs or by resting somewhere warm and dry.
Distemper
Caused by a microscopic virus. Distemper impacts several body systems, including the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts and the spinal cord and brain, with common symptoms including high fever, eye inflammation and eye/nose discharge, labored breathing and coughing, vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite and lethargy, and hardening of nose and footpads. It causes involuntary twitching of muscles and sometimes triggers seizures that can even progress to grand mal convulsions followed by death.
Sensitivity to light, in-coordination, circling, increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli such as pain or touch, and deterioration of motor capabilities are also present in severe cases. Less commonly, it may lead to blindness and paralysis. The few that survive are usually left with a lasting tic or twitch. Most wolves who die do so within 2-3 weeks of contracting the virus, when the most severe symptoms occur. A wolf who survives 4 weeks of distemper will survive, but not without additional symptoms that will last the rest of their life-time such as the erosion of tooth enamel, eventual degeneration of the nervous system, worsened motor skills, and latent onset seizures that present themselves in the end stages of the wolf's life.
Most wolves will catch a cold in their lifetime, but it only presents a serious risk to the very old and the very young. A cold will go away on its own within 2-3 weeks. Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, runny or stuffy nose, and watery eyes. Speed up the recovery process by soaking in hot springs or by resting somewhere warm and dry.
Distemper
Caused by a microscopic virus. Distemper impacts several body systems, including the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts and the spinal cord and brain, with common symptoms including high fever, eye inflammation and eye/nose discharge, labored breathing and coughing, vomiting and diarrhea, loss of appetite and lethargy, and hardening of nose and footpads. It causes involuntary twitching of muscles and sometimes triggers seizures that can even progress to grand mal convulsions followed by death.
Sensitivity to light, in-coordination, circling, increased sensitivity to sensory stimuli such as pain or touch, and deterioration of motor capabilities are also present in severe cases. Less commonly, it may lead to blindness and paralysis. The few that survive are usually left with a lasting tic or twitch. Most wolves who die do so within 2-3 weeks of contracting the virus, when the most severe symptoms occur. A wolf who survives 4 weeks of distemper will survive, but not without additional symptoms that will last the rest of their life-time such as the erosion of tooth enamel, eventual degeneration of the nervous system, worsened motor skills, and latent onset seizures that present themselves in the end stages of the wolf's life.
Infections
Wet Lungs
Known as tuberculosis IRL. Characterized by a bad cough, chest pains, coughing up phlegm and blood from inside the lungs (hence the name), weakness and fatigue, weight loss, lack of appetite, chills, fever, and near-constant panting. Wet Lungs is spread through the air; when an infected wolf coughs, sneezes, etc near others, another wolf may breathe in the bacteria and become ill themselves. Having wet lungs can be fatal, or it will go away on its own in a few weeks.
A wolf with Wet Lungs should be moved somewhere warm and dry so as not to exacerbate the moisture in their lungs - wolves in the South have higher mortality rates due to how cold and damp it is.
Madness
Known as rabies IRL. "He's going mad." Very rare, contracted from infected fox, possum, and raccoon bites. Initially, a wolf who’s infected may show extreme behavioral changes such as restlessness or apprehension, both of which may be compounded by aggression. Friendly wolves may become irritable, while normally excitable ones may become more docile.
A wolf may bite or snap at any form of stimulus, attacking other wolves, animals, or even inanimate objects. They may constantly lick, bite, and chew at the site where they were bitten. A fever may also be present at this stage. As the virus progresses, an infected wolf may become hypersensitive to touch, light and sound. They may eat unusual things and hide in dark places. Paralysis of the throat and jaw muscles may follow, resulting in the well-known symptom of foaming at the mouth.
Disorientation, in-coordination, and staggering may occur, caused by partial paralysis of the hind legs. Other classic signs of rabies include loss of appetite, weakness, seizures, and sudden death. Madness inoculates in the body for 2-8 weeks before the first signs begin to show. It always results in the death of the victim.
Known as tuberculosis IRL. Characterized by a bad cough, chest pains, coughing up phlegm and blood from inside the lungs (hence the name), weakness and fatigue, weight loss, lack of appetite, chills, fever, and near-constant panting. Wet Lungs is spread through the air; when an infected wolf coughs, sneezes, etc near others, another wolf may breathe in the bacteria and become ill themselves. Having wet lungs can be fatal, or it will go away on its own in a few weeks.
A wolf with Wet Lungs should be moved somewhere warm and dry so as not to exacerbate the moisture in their lungs - wolves in the South have higher mortality rates due to how cold and damp it is.
Madness
Known as rabies IRL. "He's going mad." Very rare, contracted from infected fox, possum, and raccoon bites. Initially, a wolf who’s infected may show extreme behavioral changes such as restlessness or apprehension, both of which may be compounded by aggression. Friendly wolves may become irritable, while normally excitable ones may become more docile.
A wolf may bite or snap at any form of stimulus, attacking other wolves, animals, or even inanimate objects. They may constantly lick, bite, and chew at the site where they were bitten. A fever may also be present at this stage. As the virus progresses, an infected wolf may become hypersensitive to touch, light and sound. They may eat unusual things and hide in dark places. Paralysis of the throat and jaw muscles may follow, resulting in the well-known symptom of foaming at the mouth.
Disorientation, in-coordination, and staggering may occur, caused by partial paralysis of the hind legs. Other classic signs of rabies include loss of appetite, weakness, seizures, and sudden death. Madness inoculates in the body for 2-8 weeks before the first signs begin to show. It always results in the death of the victim.
Afflictions of the Eyes
Cataracts
Bluish-gray opacity in the wolf's eye that causes blurry vision and can lead to blindness. Sometimes seen in very old wolves, but more often the result of genetic inheritance, eye trauma, or disease. Cataracts can affect either one or both eyes.
Blindness
Affects very old wolves, or wolves who have lost one or both eyes due to severe injury and/or eye trauma. May cause a wolf to be disoriented and feeble if a blind wolf does not become so gradually.
Bluish-gray opacity in the wolf's eye that causes blurry vision and can lead to blindness. Sometimes seen in very old wolves, but more often the result of genetic inheritance, eye trauma, or disease. Cataracts can affect either one or both eyes.
Blindness
Affects very old wolves, or wolves who have lost one or both eyes due to severe injury and/or eye trauma. May cause a wolf to be disoriented and feeble if a blind wolf does not become so gradually.
Other Ailments
Arthritis
Joint inflammation. Causes pain, localized swelling, and stiffness, all of which worsen with age. Usually affects older wolves, but some wolves will experience early onset in an area where a serious wound once was, such as a broken leg or a torn muscle.
Joint inflammation. Causes pain, localized swelling, and stiffness, all of which worsen with age. Usually affects older wolves, but some wolves will experience early onset in an area where a serious wound once was, such as a broken leg or a torn muscle.