Non-invasive assessment of adrenocortical activity as a measure of stress in giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

Additional file 1: Full dataset in Microsoft Excel workbook format.BACKGROUND : Numbers of giraffes are declining rapidly in their native habitat. As giraffe research and conservation efforts increase, the demand for more complete measures of the impact of conservation interventions and the effects of captive environments on animal health and welfare have risen. We compared the ability of six different enzyme immunoassays to quantify changes in fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) resulting from three sources: adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test, transport, and time of day that samples were collected. RESULTS : Two male giraffes underwent ACTH injections; all six assays detected FGM increases following injection for Giraffe 1, while only three assays detected FGM increases following injection for Giraffe 2. Consistent with other ruminant species, the two 11-oxoetiocholanolone assays (one for 11,17-dioxoandrostanes and the other for 3α,11-oxo metabolites) measured the most pronounced and prolonged elevation of FGM, while an assay for 3β,11β-diol detected peaks of smaller magnitude and duration. Both of the 11-oxoetiocholanolone assays detected significant FGM increases after transport in Giraffes 3–7, and preliminary data suggest FGM detected by the assay for 11,17-dioxoandrostanes may differ across time of day. CONCLUSIONS : We conclude the assay for 11,17-dioxoandrostanes is the most sensitive assay tested for FGM in giraffes and the assay for FGM with a 5β-3α-ol-11-one structure is also effective. 11-oxoetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassays have now been demonstrated to be successful in a wide variety of ruminant species, providing indirect evidence that 5β-reduction may be a common metabolic pathway for glucocorticoids in ruminants. As FGM peaks were detected in at least some giraffes using all assays tested, giraffes appear to excrete a wide variety of different FGM. The assays validated here will provide a valuable tool for research on the health, welfare, and conservation of giraffes.The Association of Friends and Supporters of Goethe University Frankfurt provided financial support for F. Sicks to travel to Vienna to analyze fecal samples and von Opel Hessische Zoostiftung supported a studentship for F. Sicks. One commercial funder [Tierpark Berlin] provided support in the form of salary for F. Sicks during data analysis and preparation of this manuscript. The specific role of this author is articulated in the ‘Author Contributions’ section.http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcvetresam2016Anatomy and PhysiologyParaclinical Science

Ultrasonographically determined renal values and comparisons to serum biochemistry renal variables in aged semi-captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)

Abstract Background Cheetahs in captivity have a high prevalence of chronic renal diseases. We ultrasonographically evaluated the renal volumes, a variety of renal dimensions, interarcuate artery resistive indices (RI) as well as aortic diameters and the length of the ventral aspect of the 6th lumbar vertebrae in 27 aged semi-captive anesthetized cheetahs. Renal size, dimensions and ratios were compared to urine specific gravity, serum creatinine and urea values. Results There were minimal differences for all values between left and right kidneys. Mean kidney length was 65.1 mm (range 55.2–76.9) with left kidney length ratios to L6 length being 1.60 (range 1.27–2.06) and to the aortic diameter 7.69 (range 4.54–10.72). Significant correlations between left renal length as well as length:L6 ratio to creatinine values were found ((r − 0.66) and (r − 0.60) respectively). The mean RI values of the different sedation/anesthetic protocols ranged from 0.46–0.55. Conclusions Left renal length and L6 ventral vertebral body length as well as left kidney RI values should be routinely measured in all cheetah abdominal ultrasound examinations. These measurements, together with serum creatinine, urea and urine specific gravity values may be relatively sensitive indicators of early renal pathology in the absence of gross ultrasonographic changes

Multiple myeloma in a captive lion (panthera leo)

Multiple myeloma is a rare, systemic proliferation of neoplastic plasma cells. A case was reported in an 11-year-old male captive lion (Panthera leo) at the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria. The classic features of symptomatic multiple myeloma were all evident in this case; namely osteolytic lesions, monoclonal gammopathy in the serum with excretion of monoclonal proteins in the urine, neoplastic plasma cells in the bone marrow and associated renal failure and anaemia. In addition, similar to the common pattern of this disease in domestic felids, at least three extramedullary tumours were found and several organs were infiltrated by neoplastic plasma cells. The cytoplasm of approximately 50 of the neoplastic round cells, including a few giant myeloma cells, stained weakly to strongly using immunohistochemical stains for B-lymphocytes (CD79a). The normal haematological parameters and lack of any osteolytic lesions in the lion at the time of the first evaluation suggest that the primary neoplastic cells could have originated from one of the extramedullary tumour sites. Only two cases of multiple myeloma have previously been reported in captive wild felids. To the authors' knowledge, thereare no case reports of multiple myeloma in lions. © 2013. The Authors

Correction: Measuring Faecal Epi-Androsterone as an Indicator of Gonadal Activity in Spotted Hyenas (Crocuta crocuta)

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128706.]

Comparative Serum Fatty Acid Profiles of Captive and Free-Ranging Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) in Namibia

<div><p>Cheetahs (<i>Acinonyx jubatus</i>) are highly specialised large felids, currently listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red data list. In captivity, they are known to suffer from a range of chronic non-infectious diseases. Although low heterozygosity and the stress of captivity have been suggested as possible causal factors, recent studies have started to focus on the contribution of potential dietary factors in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Fatty acids are an important component of the diet, not only providing a source of metabolisable energy, but serving other important functions in hormone production, cellular signalling as well as providing structural components in biological membranes. To develop a better understanding of lipid metabolism in cheetahs, we compared the total serum fatty acid profiles of 35 captive cheetahs to those of 43 free-ranging individuals in Namibia using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The unsaturated fatty acid concentrations differed most remarkably between the groups, with all of the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, except arachidonic acid and hypogeic acid, detected at significantly lower concentrations in the serum of the free-ranging animals. The influence of age and sex on the individual fatty acid concentrations was less notable. This study represents the first evaluation of the serum fatty acids of free-ranging cheetahs, providing critical information on the normal fatty acid profiles of free-living, healthy individuals of this species. The results raise several important questions about the potential impact of dietary fatty acid composition on the health of cheetahs in captivity.</p></div

Numbers of cheetahs in the categories age, sex and captivity status.

<p>Numbers of cheetahs in the categories age, sex and captivity status.</p

HPLC profiles of immunoreactive testosterone metabolites in captive hyenas.

<p>Testosterone immunoreactivity of faecal extracts were analysed in faecal extracts of one captive adult male (A) and one captive adult female (B) spotted hyena. Immunoreactivity was determined in the epiandrosterone EIA and is presented as a percentage of overall eluted activity. Lines with black circles represent immunoreactivity in each fraction. Lines with white circles show immunoreactivity in the fractions of the same extract after hydrolysis. The arrows represent the elution positions of reference standards cortisol (1), corticosterone (2), testosterone (3), epiandrosterone (4) and dihydrotestosterone (5).</p

Changes in fTM concentrations in response to a testosterone challenge in a female spotted hyena.

<p>Faecal samples were collected from 6 days prior to injection until 8 days post-injection and were analysed with an epiandrosterone EIA following hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase from <i>Helix pomatia</i>. The arrow represents the time of testosterone injection; the dashed line indicates the baseline level. The * indicates peaks (values exceeding mean + 2SD).</p