A 7th big cat has died in InSync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Education Center in Dallas due to an outbreak of canine distemper that infected the tigers and lions in June. Tacoma, the last animal to die on Sunday, was a 15-year-old tiger who was described as the 'soul' of the sanctuary. More than a dozen other big cats are still suffering from the deadly virus, thought to be brought in by wild raccoons. The first ones to fall were 12-year-old tiger Apollo and 18-year-old lioness Layla in early July. The virus "came out of nowhere," said Lakshmi Nathan, chief volunteer at the center. “By the time we realized what was going on, the distemper had already spread out,” said Lisa Williams, In-Sync’s media director. "There is no known treatment for the virus itself, so what we are primarily doing is supportive care: antibiotics to fight off secondary infections, fluids, and vitamins and other medications to help boost the cats’ immune systems," the center wrote on their website. Luckily, smaller cats such as cheetahs and cougars have not been infected. (Source : DAN)