Doppler echocardiography in a healthy, non-sedated Southern Sea Lion (Otaria flavescens) - a preliminary approach about the feasibility and clinical utility.

Echocardiography is commonly used in veterinary clinical practice for many species but is not as easily applied in non-sedated marine mammals. Additionally, Doppler echocardiography provides further information on hemodynamics, estimation of cardiac output, characterization of flow patterns, and diastolic function. However, its applications in marine mammals have not been as widely explored either. The present report aimed to characterize the left ventricle structure and function of the Southern Sea Lion (Otaria flavescens) through a Doppler echocardiography study. Data were obtained from a healthy animal trained for different veterinary examination routines. This communication constitutes the first report of Doppler echocardiography with stroke volume, and cardiac output measurement in pinnipeds, and the first report of measurement of myocardial performance index in aquatic mammals. This data brought initial information about in vivo structure and function of the heart of the Southern Sea Lion that can be safely and effectively evaluated with the use of transthoracic Doppler echocardiography. Our data have both clinical and research implications for future studies evaluating diseases of the cardiopulmonary system in pinnipeds, and cardiovascular physiology investigation in diving mammals.

First description of the Burmeister porpoise (Phocoena spinipinnis) electrocardiogram.

The aim of this study was to make the first characterization of the electrocardiogram (ECG) of the Burmeister porpoise (Phocoena sipinipinnis). A total of three ECGs were made in one, wild juvenile female (body weight = 32.5 kg, Lt = 1.45 m), temporarily held in captivity for rehabilitation at Mar del Plata Aquarium (Argentina). For ECG recordings, the animal was removed from its pool on a stretcher under constant veterinary supervision. A traditional six-lead system in the frontal plane was used, with the typical four "extremities" electrodes positioned bilaterally. ECGs were readable and all waves were detectable. The QRS complexes were characterized by Q wave absence in all leads. The ECG characteristically displayed distinctly defined STs, with a T wave clearly differentiated from the QRS complex. An STs elevation was detected in leads II and III. The mean electrical axis was -79°, meaning a cranial left axis orientation. The animal showed normal sinus rhythm and heart rate (HR) showed a continuous oscillation between tachycardia and bradycardia. Mean HR from all recordings was 147.02 ± 24.95 bpm (range = 71-176, n = 178). Evidence of the occurrence of respiratory sinus arrhythmia was detected through HR variations and RR interval differences, which suggested an adequate cardiovascular system compensation to handling conditions. This study has reported ECG amplitude and duration measurements of a potentially healthy specimen, which represents the starting point for the determination of normal ECG values for this species. Also, it has confirmed that ECG is a valuable noninvasive tool for rapid cardiac health assessment in small cetaceans.

Blood-specific isotopic discrimination factors in the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus).

RATIONALE: The use of stable isotopes for ecological studies has increased exponentially in recent years. Isotopic trophic studies are based on the assumption that animals are what they eat plus a discrimination factor. The discrimination factor is affected by many variables and can be determined empirically. The Magellanic penguin is a highly abundant marine bird that plays a key role in the southern oceans. This study provides the first estimation of the Magellanic penguin blood discrimination factor for (13) C and (15) N. METHODS: A two and a half month feeding experiment was performed, in which ten captive penguins were fed their main natural prey (anchovy Engraulis anchoita). The discrimination factors were estimated by comparing anchovy δ(13) C and δ(15) N values (obtained with isotope ratio mass spectrometry using lipid-extracted and bulk anchovy muscle) with penguin blood δ(13) C and δ(15) N values. RESULTS: Penguin blood was shown to be enriched, compared with anchovies, for (13) C and (15) N. No changes were observed in the stable isotope ratios of anchovies and discrimination factors during the experiment. The overall discrimination factors were 0.93 ± 0.12 (bulk) and 0.41 ± 0.12 (lipid-free) for (13) C; and 2.81 ± 0.17 (bulk) and 2.31 ± 0.17 (lipid-free) for (15) N. CONCLUSIONS: Having an accurate discrimination factor for the studied species is key in any trophic or food web isotopic study. Comparisons of estimated diet-to-blood discrimination factors with published values of aquatic piscivore birds showed that the (13) C discrimination factor is particularly variable, and therefore ecologists should be cautious when using a surrogate value from other species. In this study, the Magellanic penguin discrimination factor of a tissue that does not require euthanasia was obtained, a fundamental input for trophic isotopic modeling of the species. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.