Camelidae and Cervidae Capture Myopathy – NAVLE Study Guide

Overview and Clinical Importance

Capture myopathy (CM), also known as exertional myopathy or exertional rhabdomyolysis, is a non-infectious metabolic disease characterized by severe muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis) resulting from extreme exertion, struggle, or stress during capture, restraint, handling, or transportation. This condition is of paramount importance in wildlife medicine and is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in both camelids and cervids.

The condition was first described in 1964 in a Hunter's hartebeest in Kenya and has since been documented in numerous ungulate species worldwide. Camelids (llamas, alpacas, vicunas, guanacos) and cervids (white-tailed deer, elk, moose, caribou, roe deer) are particularly susceptible due to their flighty nature and physiological characteristics. Understanding this condition is essential for veterinarians involved in wildlife capture operations, zoo medicine, farmed cervid management, and camelid practice.

Etiology and Pathophysiology

Capture myopathy develops when animals are subjected to extreme physical exertion, psychological stress, or both during capture events. The pathophysiology is complex and involves multiple interrelated mechanisms that ultimately result in severe skeletal and cardiac muscle damage.