RESUMO

The aim of this investigation is to describe the potential contributing nutritional factors involved in the development of ophthalmic and dermatologic changes in four Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris spp tigris) cubs fed an artificial milk formula. The affected animals were compared with two other tiger cubs that had been nursed by their dam naturally. After the first clinical signs appeared, the tiger cubs underwent ophthalmic evaluation. Severe symmetric generalized alopecia over the trunk, sparing the head and distal portion of the front and rear limbs, bilateral cataracts and strabismus were noticed. Milk and blood from the mother, as well as blood from the healthy and affected cubs were collected in order to evaluate complete blood counts, serum chemistry values, and amino acid levels. The amino acid concentrations in the artificial formula were also evaluated for comparison to the milk from the dam. The concentration of taurine, arginine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and histidine were very low in the artificial formulas as compared to the dam´s milk. The tiger cubs that received the artificial formula had lower levels of the amino acids listed previously as compared to those that nursed from the dam naturally. Taurine, as well as arginine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and histidine deficiency appeared to be possible causes of the development of skin problems, cataracts and strabismus in the tiger cubs fed with these particular artificial milk replacers. In the future, special attention should be given in order to make sure that adequate levels of these amino acids are present in artificial milk for tiger cubs.

RESUMO

Parrots kept in zoos and private households often develop psychological and behavioural disorders. Despite knowing that such disorders have a multifactorial aetiology and that chronic stress is involved, little is known about their development mainly due to a poor understanding of the parrots' physiology and the lack of validated methods to measure stress in these species. In birds, blood corticosterone concentrations provide information about adrenocortical activity. However, blood sampling techniques are difficult, highly invasive and inappropriate to investigate stressful situations and welfare conditions. Thus, a non-invasive method to measure steroid hormones is critically needed. Aiming to perform a physiological validation of a cortisone enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to measure glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) in droppings of 24 Blue-fronted parrots (Amazona aestiva), two experiments were designed. During the experiments all droppings were collected at 3-h intervals. Initially, birds were sampled for 24 h (experiment 1) and one week later assigned to four different treatments (experiment 2): Control (undisturbed), Saline (0.2 mL of 0.9% NaCl IM), Dexamethasone (1 mg/kg IM) and Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH; 25 IU IM). Treatments (always one week apart) were applied to all animals in a cross-over study design. A daily rhythm pattern in GCM excretion was detected but there were no sex differences (first experiment). Saline and dexamethasone treatments had no effect on GCM (not different from control concentrations). Following ACTH injection, GCM concentration increased about 13.1-fold (median) at the peak (after 3-9 h), and then dropped to pre-treatment concentrations. By a successful physiological validation, we demonstrated the suitability of the cortisone EIA to non-invasively monitor increased adrenocortical activity, and thus, stress in the Blue-fronted parrot. This method opens up new perspectives for investigating the connection between behavioural disorders and stress in this bird species, and could also help in their captive management.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Os animais exóticos têm sido alvo de grande interesse no mercado pet, necessitando de médicos veterinários especializados para atender com eficiência esta demanda. Para isso, é preciso adequar técnicas,geralmente aplicadas apenas aos pequenos animais de companhia à rotina clínica de animais exóticos. A nutrição parenteral e enteral além de ser fundamental no tratamento de animais desnutridos, são vitais na recuperação de pacientes hospitalizados. Desse modo, a nutrição clínica de animais exóticos tem sido cada vez mais estudada devido à especificidade nutricional de cada espécie animal. Neste contexto, esta revisão visa elucidar os principais aspectos relacionados ao emprego da nutrição parenteral e enteral em pets exóticos na rotina clínica.

Interest about exotic animais have been increasing in pet business, requiring specialized veterinarians to atlend efficiently the great demando Hence, it is needed to adequate the techniques that are usually applied onlyto small pets to the clinical routine of exotic pets. Parenteral and enteral nutrition in addition to being fundamental in malnourished animais treatment, are vital to hospitalized patients recovery. Thereby, clinical nutrition of exotic pets have been increasingly studied because of the nutritional specificity of each species of animal. Therefore, this review aim to elucidate the main aspects related to the application of parenteral and enteral nutrition to exotic petsin clinical routine.

Los animales exóticos han sido de gran interés en el mercado de mascotas, necesitando médicos veterinarios especializados para atender con eficiencia la gran demanda. Para ello, es necesario adecuar las técnicas de rutina clínica de animales exóticos que generalmente son aplicadas a las mascotas de compañía. La nutrición parenteral y enteral además de ser fundamental en el tratamiento de animales desnutridos, son vitales en la recuperación de pacientes hospitalizados. De ese modo, la nutrición clínica de animales exóticos ha sido cada vez más estudiada debido a la especificidad nutricional de cada especie animal. Así, esta revisión trata de dilucidar los principales aspectos relacionado ai empleo de la nutrición parenteral y enteral en la rutina clínica de los animales exóticos.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Os animais exóticos têm sido alvo de grande interesse no mercado pet, necessitando de médicos veterinários especializados para atender com eficiência esta demanda. Para isso, é preciso adequar técnicas,geralmente aplicadas apenas aos pequenos animais de companhia à rotina clínica de animais exóticos. A nutrição parenteral e enteral além de ser fundamental no tratamento de animais desnutridos, são vitais na recuperação de pacientes hospitalizados. Desse modo, a nutrição clínica de animais exóticos tem sido cada vez mais estudada devido à especificidade nutricional de cada espécie animal. Neste contexto, esta revisão visa elucidar os principais aspectos relacionados ao emprego da nutrição parenteral e enteral em pets exóticos na rotina clínica.(AU)

Interest about exotic animais have been increasing in pet business, requiring specialized veterinarians to atlend efficiently the great demando Hence, it is needed to adequate the techniques that are usually applied onlyto small pets to the clinical routine of exotic pets. Parenteral and enteral nutrition in addition to being fundamental in malnourished animais treatment, are vital to hospitalized patients recovery. Thereby, clinical nutrition of exotic pets have been increasingly studied because of the nutritional specificity of each species of animal. Therefore, this review aim to elucidate the main aspects related to the application of parenteral and enteral nutrition to exotic petsin clinical routine.(AU)

Los animales exóticos han sido de gran interés en el mercado de mascotas, necesitando médicos veterinarios especializados para atender con eficiencia la gran demanda. Para ello, es necesario adecuar las técnicas de rutina clínica de animales exóticos que generalmente son aplicadas a las mascotas de compañía. La nutrición parenteral y enteral además de ser fundamental en el tratamiento de animales desnutridos, son vitales en la recuperación de pacientes hospitalizados. De ese modo, la nutrición clínica de animales exóticos ha sido cada vez más estudiada debido a la especificidad nutricional de cada especie animal. Así, esta revisión trata de dilucidar los principales aspectos relacionado ai empleo de la nutrición parenteral y enteral en la rutina clínica de los animales exóticos.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of propolis use on hematological and serum biochemical parameters in Blue-fronted Amazons (Amazona aestiva). For this, 12 adult birds were distributed randomly into individual cages, divided into treatments with different propolis levels (A = 0.0%; B = 0.5%; and C = 1.0%), in 3 distinct phases (I, II, and III), with 15-d duration for phases I and III and 30 d for phase II, totaling 60 d. In phases I and III, all birds received treatment A ration, and in phase II received A, B, or C (4 birds per treatment). At the end of each phase, blood was collected for biochemical and hematological evaluations. The variables were analyzed by ANOVA (P < 0.05). Results suggest that 0.5% propolis reduced lactate dehydrogenase levels, whereas treatment B augmented hemoglobin concentrations and eosinophil count. It is concluded that 0.5% propolis improves levels of lactate dehydrogenase, hemoglobin, and eosinophils.

Assuntos

RESUMO

O ciclo noite-dia, temperatura, umidade do ar, presença de predadores e disponibilidade de alimentos obriga os seres vivos a possuir ritmos diários para acompanhar essas mudanças ambientais. Além desses fatores ambientais, o relógio biológico também é regulado por hormônios como a melatonina e os glicocorticoides, estes, influenciados pelo fotoperíodo. Os fatores ambientais e endócrinos ajudam a modelar o comportamento. A secreção de melatonina é estimulada pela ausência de luz, é o principal hormônio responsável pelo sono. Os glicocorticoides são secretados no começo da fase ativa a fim de disponibilizar energia, aumentando a glicemia, para o início das atividades diárias. Fatores sazonais podem alterar o padrão de excreção desses hormônios, a fim de alterar a atividade comportamental. O objetivo dessa revisão foi apresentar os principais componentes endócrinos que controlam ou participam do controle dos ritmos diários e como estes influenciam o comportamento dos animais.

The day-night cycle, temperature, humidity, the presence of predators and food availability requires that living beings possess daily rhythms to accompany these environmental changes. In addition to these environmental factors, the biological clock is also regulated by hormones such as melatonin and glucocorticoids, these are influenced by photoperiod. Endocrine and environmental factors help shape behavior. The secretion of melatonin is stimulated by the absence of light, and is the main hormone responsible for sleep. Glucocorticoids are secreted at the beginning of the active phase in order to provide energy, increasing glucose to the start of daily activities. Seasonal factors may alter the pattern of excretion of these hormones in order to change the behavioral activity. The objective of this review was to present the main endocrine components that control or participate in the control of daily rhythms and how they influence the animals' behavior.

El ciclo día-noche, la temperatura, la humedad, la presencia de depredadores y la disponibilidad de alimentos requiere que los seres vivos poseen ritmos diarios que acompañan a estos cambios ambientales. Además de estos factores ambientales, el reloj biológico también está regulado por hormonas como la melatonina y los glucocorticoides, estos están influenciados por el fotoperiodo. Los factores endocrinos y ambientales ayudan a conformar el comportamiento. La secreción de melatonina es estimulada por la ausencia de luz, es la hormona principal responsable de sueño. Los glucocorticoides se secretan en el comienzo de la fase activa a fin de proporcionar energía, aumento de la glucosa para el inicio de las actividades diarias. Factores estacionales pueden alterar el patrón de excreción de estas hormonas con el fin de cambiar la actividad de comportamiento. El objetivo de esta revisión es presentar los componentes principales endocrinas que controlan o participan en el control de los ritmos diarios y cómo influyen en el comportamiento de los animales.

Assuntos

RESUMO

O ciclo noite-dia, temperatura, umidade do ar, presença de predadores e disponibilidade de alimentos obriga que os seres vivos a possuir ritmos diários para acompanhar essas mudanças ambientais. Além desses fatores ambientais, o relógio biológico também é regulado por hormônios como a melatonina e os glicocorticoides, estes, influenciados pelo fotoperíodo. Os fatores ambientais e endócrinos ajudam a modelar o comportamento. A secreção de melatonina é estimulada pela ausência de luz, é o principal hormônio responsável pelo sono. Os glicocorticoides são secretados no começo da fase ativa a fim de disponibilizar energia, aumentando a glicemia, para o início das atividades diárias. Fatores sazonais podem alterar o padrão de excreção desses hormônios, a fim de alterar a atividade comportamental. O objetivo dessa revisão foi apresentar os principais componentes endócrinos, que controlam ou participam do controle dos ritmos diários e como estes influenciam o comportamento dos animais.