OCCURRENCE AND MOLECULAR DIAGNOSIS OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SERPENTIS IN CAPTIVE SNAKES IN SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

The present study aimed to determine whether Cryptosporidium oocysts were present in stools from captive snakes at Fundacao Parque Zoo logic (Zoological Park Foundation) in Sno Paulo, Brazil. Two collections were performed; the first in July 2008 and the second in February 2009. Fecal samples were collected from 74 enclosures that housed 101 individuals of 23 snake species. The stool specimens collected from 16 out of the 74 enclosures (21.6%) contained Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts; all of them were confirmed as Cryptosporidium serpent is, using molecular techniques. Only in three (18.7%) out of the 16 enclosures with positive samples were there animals with clinical signs compatible with infection by C. serpentis, such as regurgitation and significant progressive weight loss. From the results, it was concluded that diagnostic examinations need to be performed periodically, even on clinically healthy animals, as a preventive measure.CNP

Occurrence of oral diseases in neotropical wild carnivores kept in captivity at the zoo from Federal University of Mato Grosso – Cuiabá

Control of oral lesions contributes directly to the health, survival and welfare of captive animals. In order to investigate the occurrence of oral diseases in neotropical wild carnivores kept at the zoo at the Federal University of Mato Grosso – Cuiabá, we evaluated 31 oral cavities from three families of carnivores (Felidae, Canidae and Procyonidae) between July 2012 and June 2013. Twelve coatis (Nasua nasua), three raccoons (Procyon cancrivorus), two maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus), six crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous), one hoary fox (Pseudalopex vetulus), three ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), one cougar (Puma concolor) and three wild cats (Puma yagouaroundi, Leopardus wiedii and Leopardus colocolo) were reviewed. The most frequent lesions were dental absences 21/31 (67.7%), dental fractures 20/31 (64.5%) and tooth wear 19/31 (61.3%), which were suggestive of trauma caused from stress. Of lesser importance, we also observed occurrence of dental calculus grade I in 18/31 (58%), caries 1/31 (3.2%), foreign bodies 2/31 (6.4%), orofacial fistulas 1/31 (3.2%), hyperplasia in the oral mucosa 1/31 (3.2%), dental dimming 3/31 (9.7%) and chafing of the soft tissue 5/31 (16.1%). Therefore, it was concluded that environmental enrichment strategies and oral routine evaluation must be implemented to ensure the welfare of these animals, reducing local and systemic adverse effects of oral lesions. The diet has been successful in preventing periodontal disease, suggesting that this diet for the captive animals in the institution should be maintained