Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine最新文献

Over a 25-year period (1999-2023), 152 free-ranging snakes were presented to the Turtle Rescue Team at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Snakes presented in all months of the year, with 73.7% arriving from May to September. The black rat snake (Pantherophis spp.) was the most frequent species admitted, representing 45.4% (n = 69) of the caseload, followed by black racers (Coluber constrictor; n = 29 [19.1%]) and water snakes (Nerodia spp.; n = 16, [10.5%]). Median length of stay for admitted snakes was 11 days, which increased to 18 days when snakes that were either dead or euthanized on arrival were excluded. The majority of snakes (n = 97 [69.8%]) stayed 30 days or fewer. Trauma was the most common reason for admission, and over 50% of all cases could be definitively linked to anthropogenic factors. Trauma from netting entanglement was the most prevalent presenting complaint, at 19.1% (n = 29) of the total caseload. However, snakes presenting for netting trauma were 2.6x more likely to survive when compared to all other presenting complaints. Overall, 40.1% (n = 61) snakes were released. Including one nonreleasable snake and one that escaped care, 63 (44.1%) of the 152 survived. This study provides an introductory look at the clinical overview of snakes presenting to a North Carolina wildlife rehabilitation center, and allows for a better understanding of both factors affecting these animals in the wild and the feasibility of successful rehabilitation.

Cyanobacteria toxicosis was diagnosed in an enclosure of sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) in Wildlife Breeding Park, Jallo-Zoo, Lahore, Pakistan. Microscopic examination of pond water and feces from inside of the deer enclosure revealed Microcystis aeruginosa. Clinical findings in seven sambar deer included muscle tremors, dysentery, melena, and enteritis. Necropsy findings revealed froth in trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles (indicative of pulmonary edema) in five of the seven deer. The liver was congested and firm in consistency, and its margins were round. Healed ulcers were found on the tongue and dental pad in one of the dead sambar deer. Linear hemorrhages, mild congestion, and ulceration at the junction of abomasum and duodenum and multifocal poorly demarcated ulcers in duodenal mucosa were noted in five deer. In the large intestine, there was acute diffuse fibrino-hemorrhagic enteritis in four infected carcasses. Isolation and identification tests of the liver and intestine were negative for Clostridium spp. Mouse bioassay revealed mortality, intestinal hemorrhages, and hepatitis. Peracute mortality of seven sambar deer by consuming algae-contaminated water in a breeding herd is a major concern in zoo enclosures in Pakistan.

Management of dental disease in non-domestic felids under managed care is integral to their overall health and welfare. Accurate evaluation of dental disease by zoo clinicians improves patient care and can influence the decision to utilize dental specialists to assist with complex procedures. Additionally, dental disease frequently occurs subgingivally and cannot be detected without the aid of dental radiography and/or advanced imaging, such as CT. This study aimed to describe the frequency and types of dental pathology observed in a cohort of 15 tigers (Panthera tigris) from a sanctuary, determine the interexaminer agreement between a zoological medicine house officer and a board-certified veterinary dentist and identify subgingival lesions via CT imaging and correlate those findings to oral examinations. Abrasions, complicated crown fractures (CCFx), dental calculus, and periodontal pocketing were all observed in more than half of the individuals on dental examination and exhibited moderate or better interexaminer agreement based on statistical analysis. CT scans revealed alveolar bone loss (ABL) and periapical lysis (PL) most commonly in these same cats. PL was significantly positively correlated with CCFx (r = 0.45, P < 0.0001). These findings confirmed that dental trauma is the most common etiology for dental pathology in this population of tigers and that for most types of dental pathology observed, the zoological medicine house officer and veterinary dentist exhibited moderate agreement or better. Additionally, CT was useful for identifying subgingival lesions such as ABL and PL and may be an important diagnostic tool in cases of CCFx in tigers.

Infection with the lungworm Parafilaroides decorus is ubiquitous among young California sea lions (CSL; Zalophus californianus), and high infection intensity is a significant cause of pulmonary pathology, respiratory distress, morbidity, and mortality. Anthelmintics are a common treatment for stranded CSL exhibiting clinical evidence of pneumonia in the rehabilitation setting. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of anthelmintics in reducing larval lungworm fecal output, 55 stranded pup and yearling CSL were treated with either parenteral moxidectin or oral fenbendazole and compared with a group that did not receive an anthelmintic. Clinical disease scoring initially revealed 1 animal to not have disease, 37 animals to have mild to moderate disease, and 17 animals to have severe disease secondary to P. decorus infection. Initial posttreatment fecal recheck scored animals as improved (n = 30), unchanged (n = 14), worsened (n = 2), or dead (n = 9). There was no difference between treatment groups and changes in clinical scores on the basis of clinical signs, nor was there a difference between treatment groups and change of P. decorus presence. There is insufficient evidence to indicate that oral fenbendazole or subcutaneous moxidectin is superior for parasitic pneumonia therapy due to P. decorus in CSL.

Management of zoo animals relies on effective and reliable contraception. Deslorelin acetate implants (Suprelorin^®) are routinely used as a contraceptive tool, therapy for reproductive disease, and to mitigate hormonally-based undesirable behaviors. Because this product was developed for use in dogs, the minimal effective dose and duration of action must be extrapolated to other species. Current dose recommendations from the Association of Zoo and Aquariums Reproductive Management Center are based on accumulated data from use in various taxa. The authors developed a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay to measure deslorelin in serum; the method was validated for linearity, limits of detection and quantitation, precision, and specificity. This pilot study then evaluated the pharmacokinetics of deslorelin implants in vivo, using female domestic goats (Capra hircus; n = 3) each with a single 9.4-mg subcutaneous implant. Serum samples were analyzed at baseline and 31 designated time points (15 min-360 d) following placement. The average maximum serum concentration (C_max) for deslorelin was 83 ng/ml, time to C_max (T_max) was 1.3 h, and a plateau phase extended from 30 to 360 d. Fecal estrogen and progestagen reflected anovulatory status following deslorelin placement in all three goats. This study demonstrates that the novel assay is able to successfully measure deslorelin acetate in serum, even to a sensitivity of 0.03 ng/ml. This study lays the foundation for future research regarding dosage recommendations for deslorelin implants in other species.

Species-specific hematology and biochemistry reference intervals (RIs) provide a crucial diagnostic resource for veterinarians, researchers, and wildlife managers working with elasmobranchs. This study aimed to establish hematologic and biochemical RIs from a population of free-ranging, juvenile blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) in the Galápagos Marine Reserve in Ecuador. Heparinized blood samples were collected from the ventral coccygeal vein in 36 juvenile blacktip sharks captured via beach seine and physically restrained. Manual CBCs were performed, and heparinized plasma was submitted to a reference laboratory for biochemistry analysis. Per American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology guidelines, preliminary hematology and biochemistry RIs were determined minus white blood cell differentials due to artifact following blood smear storage and transport. Juvenile blacktip sharks in the Galápagos Marine Reserve had similar PCV (median: 28%, RI: 18.6-35%) but higher WBC concentrations (median: 29.9 × 10³/µL, RI: 9.5-52.4 × 10³/µL) than wild adult sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus). Furthermore, juvenile blacktip sharks had lower plasma concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (AST, median: 6 U/L, RI: 4-13 U/L), creatine kinase (CK, median: 16 U/L, RI: 6-90 U/L), and glucose (median: 58 mg/dL, RI: 39-78 mg/dL) than wild Atlantic sharpnose (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) and bonnethead sharks (Sphyrna tiburo) may have been due to different capture methods. Hematology and biochemistry reference intervals will aid blacktip sharks under managed care and support future comparative and longitudinal research of blacktip shark populations within the Galápagos Marine Reserve.

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) are considered high risk for anesthetic complications. Interestingly, few recent peer-reviewed studies have evaluated morbidity and mortality in immobilized giraffe under managed care. Given that giraffe may require anesthesia due to their large size and potential to cause harm, a more scientific evaluation of the risks associated with the various types of immobilization procedures is warranted. Pasture immobilizations are often considered particularly high risk due to lack of control over the animal's environment. Other perceived risks include interference by conspecifics and a delay in being able to obtain head control of the anesthetized animal. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center has a long history of pasture immobilizations in giraffe, allowing for a standardized procedure that has varied little over its 35-yr history. This allows for the unique opportunity to evaluate morbidity and mortality associated with pasture immobilizations, while minimizing other variables. A retrospective evaluation of pasture immobilizations in giraffe over 18-yr was performed (starting with the onset of consistent electronic medical records). During this period, 50 pasture immobilizations were reported. No life-threatening complications occurred in any cases. Ages ranged from 3 mon to 33 yr, with 24% of animals being over the age of 25. Duration of anesthesia from darting to reversal averaged 68 min (minimum = 24 min; maximum = 157 min). Five procedures were for the expressed intent of euthanasia. In the remaining 45 procedures, no mortalities were reported. This study shows a minimal risk associated with pasture immobilizations when performed with experienced staff under consistent circumstances.

Wild host species can act as important pathogen reservoirs in vector-borne infectious diseases, but the knowledge regarding Theileria species infections in gazelles is limited. The aims of the study were to characterize a Theileria species in blood samples of goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa) and to evaluate potential influences on the hematological and biochemistry analytes. EDTA-anticoagulated whole blood and serum samples of 24 clinically healthy gazelles and two offspring kept in a zoological collection in Germany were submitted to a commercial veterinary laboratory as part of a general health check. Clinical chemistry and hematology were measured, and blood smears were examined microscopically. Theileria-like piroplasms were detected microscopically in blood smears from seven out of 24 adult gazelles (29%) and Theileria DNA was detected by PCR in blood from all of them (100%). Testing for Anaplasma (A.) phagocytophilum, A. ovis, and Mycoplasma ovis was negative in all animals. Sequencing showed that the detected parasites had 100% identity to Theileria species Dama gazelle. The clinical chemistry and hematology analytes of all 24 adult gazelles showed no significant abnormalities when compared to published reference intervals. Two offspring also tested positive by PCR to Theileria, despite regular handling and no evidence of ticks. Gazelles of the species Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa are susceptible to infection with Theileria species and may act as important pathogen reservoirs. In addition to infection via vectors, transplacental transmission also appears to play a role.

A retrospective review of anesthetic events using dexmedetomidine-butorphanol-midazolam (DBM) or medetomidine-butorphanol-midazolam (MBM) for northern (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) and southern (Enhydra lutris nereis) sea otters under professional care was performed. From 2010 to 2023, 96 anesthetic procedures in total were reported across 32 sea otters for various diagnostic, surgical, or preventive health procedures. A subset of 57 anesthetic procedures in 28 apparently heathy sea otters was evaluated to report anesthetic milestones, physiologic values, and perianesthetic observations. Included induction protocols involved IM injection of DBM or MBM, and injectable agents were reversed with IM atipamezole and naltrexone ± flumazenil. Anesthetic events were compared from a subset of sea otters anesthetized with both MBM and fentanyl-midazolam (FM) on separate occasions. Individuals were manually restrained for injection (45/57, 78.9%) or received voluntary injections (12/57, 21.1%); those with voluntary injections had faster time to intubation (P = 0.017) and longer time to extubation (P = 0.015) than those manually restrained. Duration of inhalant anesthesia and antagonism of midazolam with flumazenil had no significant effect on recovery milestones. Physiologic values were within established cutoffs considered by the authors to be clinically acceptable for most sea otters. The most common perianesthetic observation was hypothermia (<37.2°C; 7/57, 12.3%); however, it was only seen in procedures lasting >54 min. Sea otters immobilized with MBM had significantly lower HR (MBM, 114 ± 8 breaths per minute [brpm]; FM, 153 ± 30 brpm; P = 0.03), lower partial pressure of end-tidal CO₂ readings (MBM, 56.8 ± 5.4 mmHg; FM, 92.3 ± 10.8 mmHg; P = 0.002), higher RR (P = 0.03), and higher pulse oximetry readings (P = 0.02) compared with sea otters immobilized with FM. DBM and MBM appear to be safe, reliable protocols with smooth induction and recovery; clinically acceptable physiologic values across various age classes, sexes, and subspecies; and a low rate of complications. Furthermore, MBM appears to be a reliable alternative to FM with more favorable respiratory values.

A previous study found that restraint significantly increased plasma corticosterone in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis). This noncrossover study's objective was to test the effects of the sedatives midazolam and butorphanol on the plasma corticosterone response in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots during a 30-min period of restraint. The prediction was that sedated parrots would have significantly decreased plasma corticosterone responses compared with controls when restrained. The parrot colony contained 10 male and 12 female Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (15-26 yr of age; weight range, 264-334 g). The birds were processed according to cage order. Each parrot was caught and restrained in a towel. A baseline blood sample was collected from each bird in <3 min upon entering the room. The bird was weighed and a control (saline solution, n = 11) or sedative (midazolam and butorphanol, n = 11) treatment was administered intranasally based on a preset randomized list of either the word "control" or "treatment." Additional blood samples were taken 15 and 30 min after saline or sedative administration (a total of three blood samples per bird). Plasma corticosterone levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunoassays. The prediction that sedated parrots would have significantly decreased plasma corticosterone responses compared with controls was not supported (P = 0.99). These results suggest that even when sedated, psittacines can experience acute stress responses when handled and clinicians should be mindful of this stress response to reduce potential adverse effects.