Using 17 healthy Galapagos tortoises and 27 healthy Aldabra tortoises, echocardiographic reference values were determined. By employing a food distraction technique, tortoises were either allowed to stand in their normal position or placed in ventral recumbency on a raised surface. To assess the three heart chambers, associated great vessels, pericardial effusion, and both atrioventricular inflow and pulmonic and aortic outflow velocities, an ultrasound probe was strategically positioned in two long-axis views within the left or right cervicobrachial window. A median heart rate of 28 bpm, with a standard deviation of 12, was observed, while the ejection fraction was 60 ± 10%. Thirty-four of the 44 tortoises displayed discernible physiologic pericardial effusion. unmet medical needs With the application of the described imaging techniques, all tortoises yielded successful imaging results, with consistent cardiac structural depictions and functional assessments. Using echocardiography, reference intervals for captive Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises with suspected cardiac disease are provided in this study for clinical use.
We detail hematology and biochemistry reference ranges (RI) for the critically endangered Cuban crocodile, Crocodylus rhombifer. At the Zapata Swamp Crocodile Farm in Matanzas, Cuba, in November 2019, a sample of 43 adult crocodiles was collected, comprising 6 males and 37 females, all under human care. These crocodiles are enrolled in a breeding program as dictated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Manual restraint was immediately followed by visual health evaluations and the subsequent collection of blood from the postoccipital sinus. To evaluate each crocodile, we performed measurements of packed cell volume (PCV), total solids (TS), complete blood counts (CBC), and biochemistry profiles on the day of the sampling. Forty-two participants had an average PCV of 211, and an average TS of 73.12 mg/dL. In a data set of 40 white blood cell (WBC) samples, the absolute count was recorded as 96, 57, and 109 per liter. A pattern similar to other crocodilian species was observed, with lymphocytes being the dominant leukocyte type, accounting for 70.7% (104 x 10^4), and heterophils making up 18.7% (97 x 10^4). While a visual examination revealed both crocodiles to be healthy, two of them demonstrated an elevated heterophillymphocyte ratio, with measurements of 0.87 and 0.74, respectively. Vevorisertib research buy The creatine kinase levels ranged between 41 and 1482 U/L, with elevated levels potentially attributable to physical activity induced by the handling process. Among the study's limitations, noteworthy factors included a skewed sex distribution and high levels of lipemia and hemolysis in a considerable number of the collected samples. First descriptions of this species' white blood cell morphology, alongside the initial reference intervals, are reported here. These data are of great value for the management of animals at the Zapata Swamp Crocodile Farm, enabling comparisons with Cuban crocodiles in the wild in Cuba and those under human care outside Cuba.
A remarkable, albeit detrimental, increase in pycnogonid sea spider (Arthropoda Class Pycnogonida) numbers within the coral reef system at the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco, CA, USA, contributed to the corals' health issues. Sixteen coral colonies, part of three distinct species, namely Stylophora pistillata, Pocillopora damicornis, and Acropora tenuis, were chosen from this system to experience milbemycin oxime immersion therapy. The overarching objective was to lower or eliminate the sea spider population while doing minimal harm to the coral colonies. Corals were subjected to two milbemycin immersions, one week intervening between each treatment, utilizing the previously published aquatic invertebrate dose of 0.016 parts per million (ppm; mg/L). Despite this, sea spider numbers remained unchanged. The sea spider infestation was successfully addressed by tripling the immersion therapy treatments, administered weekly, and doubling the milbemycin dosage to 0.032 ppm. Corals' health and therapeutic tolerance were assessed histopathologically, and post-treatment biopsies confirmed the absence of adverse effects on all three coral species. Treatments of stony corals (*S. pistillata*, *P. damicornis*, and *A. tenuis*) with milbemycin oxime immersion, performed once per week at 0.0032 ppm, appear to be both effective and safe in minimizing pycnogonid sea spider populations.
A profusion of Strongyloides sp. nematodes has surfaced. A phenomenon manifested itself in a group of 18 male and 29 female panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis), specifically at the Singapore Zoo. During a routine microscopic examination of feces, utilizing direct examination and magnesium sulfate flotation techniques, the parasite was initially discovered in one person. The parasite's closest genetic relative, according to a later analysis, was determined to be Strongyloides sp., with a 98.96% match. The process of DNA sequencing identified Okayama. A six-month trial indicated a concerning 979% (46 out of 47) positive rate for the parasite in panther chameleons, coupled with a devastating death rate of 255% (12/47) attributable to the disease. Among the animals that passed away, every single one was female. Positive test results showed that magnesium sulfate flotation had a high success rate of 98.1% (105/107) in identifying the parasite, contrasting significantly with direct fecal microscopy, which only managed a detection rate of 43.9% (47/107). Of the positive magnesium sulfate flotation tests (105 samples out of 105), all specimens contained parasite eggs. In contrast, a much lower percentage of positive direct fecal microscopy tests (660% or 31 samples out of 47) showed the same. Direct fecal microscopy tests revealed parasite larvae in 617% (29 out of 47) of positive samples, contrasting with only 95% (10 out of 105) in magnesium sulfate flotation tests. Fenbendazole and pyrantel pamoate, at the doses detailed in published sources, were not effective in removing the parasite. Through the administration of ivermectin (0.02 mg/kg orally every two weeks for two dosages), all animals demonstrated parasite eradication at the conclusion of treatment, with no adverse effects observed. Anteromedial bundle Removal of the Strongyloides sp. parasite proved incomplete, as sporadic detection persisted in the population through routine stool examinations spanning three years. Prompt ivermectin treatment avoided any additional mortalities from the disease. Ivermectin is a vital tool in preventing the severe disease and mortality from strongyloidiasis, which may cause high morbidity in panther chameleons.
Amebiasis, attributable to Entamoeba invadens, is an issue of considerable importance in reptile facilities, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. For disease investigation at the Singapore Zoo, PCR testing on reptiles exhibiting lethargy and enteritis was undertaken over a period of four years to monitor parasite presence. In the course of investigating the outbreak, reptiles exhibiting no symptoms and housed in the same enclosures as those affected were likewise included in the testing process. Parasite-positive animals in the collection received treatment with metronidazole, augmented by paromomycin in a limited number of cases, at variable doses, until the achievement of a PCR-negative result at the end of their treatment protocols. E. invadens was detected in 24 samples (247%) from 19 of 49 individuals across 19 reptile species, constituting a total of 97 samples. Of the positive samples identified, 11 were prioritized for disease investigation, 8 for outbreak surveillance, and 5 for the assessment of treatment progress. A treatment protocol was implemented on 10 animals, with 4 demonstrating clinical symptoms. A substantial 90% (nine animals) exhibited parasite clearance, eight of whom received only metronidazole as treatment. A total of nine animals succumbed to the ailment; four (44.4%) presented as deceased or died within the span of 24 hours following symptom onset. Necrotizing enteritis was a consistent post-mortem finding, causing gastrointestinal perforation in two subjects. Five animals also displayed either coelomic adhesions or hepatic trophozoites. To effectively manage Entamoeba epizootics in the collection, prompt outbreak investigation is crucial, as indicated by the results. The application of advanced diagnostic tools, including PCR, endoscopy, and ultrasonography, and concurrent metronidazole treatment, may lessen mortalities in symptomatic and asymptomatic animals experiencing a disease outbreak.
Cardiovascular disease is a common and sadly frequent cause of death in the vulnerable Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis), an animal critically endangered. Anesthetic protocols, possessing minimal cardiovascular adverse reactions, are consequently required. Twelve adult male woodchucks (Marmota monax) served as models for Vancouver Island marmots in this research. Comparing the physiological responses elicited by two different premedication protocols during the induction and maintenance stages of sevoflurane anesthesia was the objective. Prior to mask induction, two premedication regimens were administered intramuscularly: ketamine 10 mg/kg and midazolam 0.5 mg/kg (KM), or ketamine 10 mg/kg, midazolam 0.5 mg/kg, and butorphanol 10 mg/kg (KMB). A blinded, randomized crossover design was employed to assign protocols for three anesthetic events per marmot. Continuous monitoring of heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and body temperature were performed throughout the procedure, and blood gases were assessed following the induction phase. The resistance to induction was assessed, and the time taken for induction was documented. Every mask induction with sevoflurane was successful (average induction time of 21 minutes), but the use of KMB premedication resulted in a faster induction time (reducing the mean by 12.03 minutes) and decreased resistance scores. While both protocols caused significant cardiovascular and respiratory impairment, animals administered KMB experienced more pronounced hypercapnia than those given KM, a difference of 88 ± 28 mm Hg (P = 0.003) in the mean venous partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PvCO2), with a value of 799 mm Hg in all animals studied.