New insights into dietary management of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and brown bears (U. arctos).

Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and brown bears (U. arctos) have been exhibited in zoological gardens for centuries, little is known about their nutritional needs. Multiple recent studies on both wild and captive polar bears and brown bears have found that they voluntarily select dietary macronutrient proportions resulting in much lower dietary protein and higher fat or digestible carbohydrate concentrations than are currently fed in most zoos. These lower protein concentrations selected by both species maximized growth rates and efficiencies of energy utilization in brown bears and may play a role in reducing kidney, liver, and cardiovascular diseases in both species. Therefore, we propose the need for the development of new dietary regimens for both species in managed care that better reflect their macronutrient needs. We developed a new kibble that is higher in fat and lower in protein than typical diets that have been fed in managed care, has a fatty acid profile more consistent with wild bear diets, and has been readily consumed by both brown bears and polar bears. The kibble can be fed as the sole diet or as part of more complex diets with additional fruits, meats, or vegetables. Because many nutritional deficiencies and related diseases can take months or years to appear, we urge caution and continued long-term monitoring of bears and their diets to ensure their optimal health.

Dietary effects on urinary physicochemistry in Navy bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) for the prevention of ammonium urate kidney stones.

Bottlenose dolphins are susceptible to developing ammonium urate (NH4U) kidney stones. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that diet influences the urinary physicochemistry risk factors associated with nephrolithiasis in dolphins. A comprehensive nutrient analysis was performed revealing that the baseline diet (BD) commonly fed to dolphins under professional care had a greater purine content and a more negative dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) when compared with a model diet consumed by free-ranging dolphins. A modified diet (MD) was formulated to include free-ranging diet fish species and achieve a more positive DCAD. The BD had a more negative DCAD (-52 mEq/Mcal metabolizable energy) when compared with the MD (+51 mEq/Mcal ME), which more closely approximated the DCAD of the free-ranging model diet (+152 mEq/Mcal ME). Six dolphins (with stones) were fed the BD followed by the MD for a minimum of 4 wk. At the end of each feeding trial, a 6-h continuous urine collection was performed to compare urine parameters of dolphins fed the BD versus MD. Dolphins consuming the MD demonstrated a significant decrease in urinary ammonium, net acid excretion, saturation index of ammonium urate, and phosphorous, and a significant increase in urinary citrate and net gastrointestinal (GI) alkali absorption, as compared with urine parameters assessed when fed the BD. Increasing the proportion of free-ranging diet fish species and optimizing the DCAD positively influenced some of the risk factors believed to be associated with NH4U kidney stone development in bottlenose dolphins under professional care.

XANTHINE NEPHROLITHIASIS IN JUVENILE CAPTIVE GIANT OTTERS (PTERONURA BRASILIENSIS).

Nephrolithiasis has been reported in several aquatic mammals including bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), small clawed otters (Amblonyx cinereus), European river otters (Lutra lutra), North American river otters (Lontra canadensis), northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris), and California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Compositions of calculi in previous cases were predominantly calcium oxalate or ammonium acid urate. Xanthine urolithiasis is rare in veterinary medicine. Primary cases (without exposure to xanthine dehydrogenase inhibitors) occur as a consequence of hereditary xanthinuria, although the causal mutation has only been discovered in a subset of cases. Five captive juvenile giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis) from two facilities were diagnosed with nephrolithiasis: three siblings from one set of parents and two siblings from another pair. Serum analyte assays revealed renal compromise in affected individuals. Computed tomography (CT) confirmed the presence of nephrolithiasis in one individual. Postmortem evaluation identified extensive bilateral nephrolithiasis on gross necropsy in four of five cases. Calculus analyses identified 100% xanthine composition. Histologic examination revealed marked nephrolithiasis with associated tubular necrosis and gastric mineralization. Nutrient composition of the diet including mineral and purine content was assessed. No association between diet and nephroliths was found in this study. This is the first report of xanthine nephrolithiasis in aquatic mammals. The potential role of diet and genetics in xanthine nephrolithiasis in the small inbred population of giant otters under human care needs further investigation to assess the implications of this disease process for the long-term captive management of this species.

THE NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF THE DIET OF BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS) IS BETTER ASSESSED RELATIVE TO METABOLIZABLE ENERGY THAN DRY MATTER.

Nutrient concentrations in a diet can be expressed either "as fed," relative to dry matter (DM), or relative to metabolizable energy (ME). Most published literature evaluates the diet of dolphins by comparing nutrient content relative to DM. Nevertheless, ME requirements, not DM, determine how much food dolphins need to maintain their body condition. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate why it is important to calculate the ME content of fish fed to dolphins and compare nutrient concentrations in dolphin diets relative to ME, not DM. Two studies that compared the nutrient composition of fish species on a DM basis were reevaluated. The ME content of each fish species was calculated and found to vary widely among species, from 0.94 to 1.58 Mcal/kg as fed. Water, mineral, and fat concentrations relative to ME also varied markedly among fish species. To demonstrate the magnitude of nutrient content differences between fish, the percent change in nutrient concentration for each species was calculated relative to herring. The percent changes for DM and ME analyses were then compared. Percent change in nutrient concentration was either over- or underestimated on a DM basis when compared with the percent change on an ME basis. Notable discrepancies were evident among important nutrients, such as crude protein, water, and sodium. Caretakers of managed dolphins must account for differences in energy density when deciding how much to feed and assessing the nutrient composition of the diet.

Vehicle effects on in vitro transdermal absorption of sevoflurane in the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana.

The experimental objectives were to identify a vehicle which produces a homogenous formulation when combined with the anesthetic solution sevoflurane and understand the dermal absorption of sevoflurane in silastic membranes and amphibian skin in vitro utilizing a flow-through diffusion system. Seven vehicles were evaluated in varying ratios with 5 formulations resulting in the desired homogenous consistency for practical application. Sevoflurane diffusion across silastic membranes was influenced by pluronic/lecithin organogel (PLO), pluronic F 127 20% gel, and sterile lube. Flux and permeability across silastic membranes were significantly greater in sterile lube than in the other formulations. While no significant vehicle effects were observed in bullfrog skin, the flux-time profiles suggest that sevoflurane diffusion in bullfrog skin may be positively influenced by PLO. Future in vivo studies are required to assess sevoflurane retention after removal of these formulations to more accurately control the plane of anesthesia in amphibians.