Rare vinegar‑dog pup rescued and treated in Mato Grosso do Sul

A female puppy of the vulnerable vinegar‑dog (Speothos venaticus) was rescued from a roadside in the municipality of Água Clara, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The animal, found without its mother or pack, was taken by a local resident to the Centro de Reabilitação de Animais Silvestres (CRAS), part of the state environmental agency Imasul, after the Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros (CENAP/ICMBio) coordinated the response.

The pup arrived in critical condition, weighing about 700 g and suffering severe dehydration, abdominal pain and diarrhea. CRAS veterinarians applied intensive supportive care, stabilising fluid and electrolyte balance and managing pain. Within days the animal gained weight, reaching roughly 1 kg and showing active, normal behaviour.

The rescue is notable because the CRAS facility has not received a vinegar‑dog specimen in more than 20 years, marking a milestone for the conservation of one of the rarest South‑American canids, of which fewer than 200 individuals are known worldwide. Officials highlighted the case as evidence of the technical capacity of Mato Grosso do Sul’s wildlife rehabilitation network and its role in preserving Brazil’s biodiversity.