METABOLIC DISEASES

IN ZOO AND WILD

ANIMALS

Dr. C. Jayanthy, M. V. Sc.,

Assistant Professor,
Dept. Of Clinics,
Madras Veterinary College,
Chennai 600 007.
 VMD - 512 – ZOO / WILD ANIMAL
BREEDING, NUTRITION, MANAGEMENT
AND HEALTH CARE (1+1)

Metabolic diseases in zoo and wild

animals
 Neonates to hand risen animals
 Due to difficulty in ingestion
 Formulated diet
 Natural diet

Forms – Pelleted / Enriched food / Natural

food / ..............
General rule – what you gave yesterday continue
today
Tomorrow ???
 MBD – growing animals
 Obesity / ISD – geriatric / Adult animals
 Dental disorders Restricted feeding
Balanced food
  dietary fibre  sugar & starch  cost
efficient / enabling economy in feed
 Diets fed to zoo animals  biology of the
species
 Capuchins – small primates - metabolic rate & high ratio of
superficial area to body mass hypothermia, hypoglycemia,
hypovolemia & dehydration

diets in zoo – biologic logic  pedagogic

 So,
competancy in zoo
 Metabolic disorder – when something is
wrong with body’s metabolism
 Metabolism = food  energy
 Multiple processes
• Enzymes
• Deranged processes
• nutrient /  need
• Organ failure
 Metabolic diseases
Rate of input  Rate of output (litter size, nursing, etc.)
 1st step of formulation
Evaluate the diet fed in captivity
Compare with natural diet

 Speculate links with the problem of that species

 Clinical and Pathological comparison of captive
with free range animals
 Nutrition related diseases of domestic animals
compared with captive animals
 MUST
: INVESTIGATION IN LARGE
GROUP WITH OR WITHOUT THE
PROBLEM
 Metabolic bone diseases (MBD) of Kaolas
and exposure to UVB light
 Obesity & acyclicity in African Elephants
 Amount of roughage with faeces consistency
 Exotic and Zoo animal nutrition – continuous
advancements
 Principle – Nutrients & energy – metabolisable
form
 Balanced, correct form, taste, suitable for
digestive system, feeding methods, feeding
time, .....
 Evaluation of suitable diet in captive zoo
animals
• Growth
• Reproduction success
• longivity
 Characteristics of feeding

 Cafetaria– unsuitable
 Balanced commercial food
• Good quality
• Avoid topping
• Clearing the bones
• Fresh water
• Trace nutrients
 Review of the schedule based on indicators
 Effective study – Clinical Records
Pathological Records
Nutritional Records
 Controlled experimental studies –
recommended
 Lack of information – Species and Taxonomic
knowledge is important
 Eg. Galactose intolerance in Joeys – cataract
 New world monkeys – D2 not absorbed - + D3
 Vitamin D + UVB = calcium metabolism –
UVB light provided + incandescent light
 Captive basking species – rickets and
osteomalacia  Bone , soft tissue
mineralisation (necropsy / radiographical),
renal complication, tetany
 METABOLIC BONE DISEASES
(MBD) IN REPTILES AND
MAMMALS
 Common in crocodiles, chelonians, lizards,
serpentines
 Covers rickets, osteomalacia,
hyperparathyroidism, fibrous osteodystrophy,
osteoporosis, nutritional bone diseases
 RICKETS AND OSTEOPOROSIS
 Rickets – growing bones  bowing of limbs
Vit. D3 deficiency  failure of hardening of
bones
Rate of absorption  Mineralisation
 Osteoporosis – adults and juveniles
Senility (reptiles)
withdrawal of Ca from hardened bones 
porous bones  bone 
resorption of osteoid deposition
Ca, vitamin D3 + protein for bone matrix
 OSTEOMALACIA & FIBROUS
OSTEODYSTROPHY
 Common – hatchling of crocodile – Ca def.
failure of hardening of bones
 Mammals – eg. Hyaena – bone deprived food
 Etiology
 Ca (Boneless food)
absorption of Ca /  P
Hormonal imbalance
Vitamin D def (Animals kept indoors)
Feed stored for prolonged time
 Common in crocodiles
 kyphokoliosis
 Walking on land – difficult
 Swimming – freely
 Falling of teeth – poor calcification
 Pliable jaws – rubber jaws
 Glassy teeth – diaphanous
 Chelonian– lump like on carapace
(diagnosed visually by comparing with the
adjacent chelomian)

 Diagnosis
 Clinical signs including prolapse of uterus
 H / o feeding and management
 Radiographical examination
 Serum estimation of Ca & P
 MBD in captive aviary Sps.
 Rickets –
 Growing birds – long large legs
 Ca & P – imbalance
 D3 Deficincy
 Osteomalacia – adults
 Clinical signs –
• Weakness
• Anorexia
• Polydipsia
• Loose droppings
• Poor feather growth
• Chewing of plumage
• Collapsed rib cage – hunch back
• Faulty prehension – beak abnormality
• Muslce spasm
• Hyperaesthesia
• Soft egg shells
• Egg bound
 GOUT
 Common in captive birds & reptiles
 Raptors – hawks, eagles, kites
 Ostrich, peafowls
 Types
 Broader classification

True gout Pseudogout – any crystal other than

Monosodium urate crystals monosodium urate crystals

URATE CRYSTALS ARE PRODUCED IN

LIVER AND RENAL TISSUES
 Etiology
• Renal problems – infection / inflammation /
renal lesion (nephrotoxic drugs / anti –
inflammatory drugs)
• Nutritional – water protein imbalance & AA
imbalance
• Dehydration  stress   blood flow  
renal efficiency  gout
• Congenital – reported in Nile crocodile
hatchlings
• Muroxide test to confirm articular gout and
DD bumble foot
 HYPOTHYROIDISM
 Mammals
• Any species may be affected
• Clinical signs – obesity, alopecia, dullness,
lethargy,  serum cholesterol
 Aviary
Iodine deficiency  hypertrophy of thyroid gland
 goiter

Clinical Signs – change of voice, obesity, dullness,

ruffled feathers
 DIABETES MELLITUS IN
MAMMALS & BIRDS
 Non human primates
• Insulin dependent – common
• Non – Insulin dependent
 Clinical Signs – PU, PD, PP, glycosuria, dullness,
anorexia, unconsciousness, staggering

 Captive birds – PU, PD, PP, weakness, ruffled

feathers
 Fatty liver in mammals and
birds
 Captive mammals
 Birds – Budgerigars – common
• Treated with lipotropic substances – methionine,
choline and vitamin B12
 EXERTIONAL
RHABDOMYOLYIS
 Wild mammals – spotted deer, musk deer,
blackbucks, tigers
 Wild aviary – peacocks
 Excitement due to chasing / prolonged capture
operations  metabolic sequences deranged
even after 28 days
 Treatment – Se, vitamin E, adequate rest,
removal of probable stress
 Successful treatment – calm approach &
prevention of capture myopathy
 Susceptible sps. – spotted and musk deer,
tiger, peacock, etc.
 HEAMOCHROMATOSIS AND
AMYLOIDOSIS IN CAPTIVE BIRDS
 Haemochromatosis – abnormal
accumulation of iron in liver, < in heart,
kidney, pancreas
 Mynahs mostly affected
 Amyloidosis – deposition of shapeless
materials in liver, spleen, adrenal and
renal tissues
 Common in aquatic birds – swans,
flamingos, ducks
 NEONATAL HYPOGLYCEMIA
IN WILD ANIMALS
 Insufficient intake of colostrum / milk
 Clinicals signs –
 Pale skin
 Weakness
 Recumbency
 Hypothermia
 Incoordination
 Terminal stages - convulsions
 Monitoring infant for feeding
 Monitoring mother for nursing
 KETOSIS IN WILD RUMINANTS
 Ruminants– giraffe, deer, antelope, wild
goat / sheep / bovid
 Gluconeogenesis – Propionate + AA

Nervous form
Wasting DD - rabies
●
Circling

Woody appearance Headpressing

●
●
●
Pushing

– wasting & loss of Apparent blindness

●

●
Aimless walking
Vigorous licking of skin / objects
elasticity
●

●
Depraved appetite
●
Chewing movements with salivation
 LACTATION TETANY IN WILD
EQUIDS
 Zebras, wild asses, wild horses
 Lactating equids – 10 days after giving birth /
1- 2 days after weaning
 Prolonged transport / exertion
 Clinical signs
 Stiff
gait, raised tail
 Incoordination, tetany
 Sweating
 Rapid labored respiration, dilated pupil, distinct
thumping sound from thorax due to spasmodic
contraction of diaphragm
 Muscular fibrillation – masseter &/ shoulder
 Trismus without prolapse of membrana nictitans
  peristalsis, suspended urination / defecation
 Attempt to drink but cannot swallow
 Ca diet during pre – stress period, avoiding
excess GI absorption of Ca
 PARTURIENT PARESIS
(MILK FEVER) IN RUMINANTS
 Anticipated in cervids – newly fawned deer /
antelope – twins
 Expected – a week before / after parturition
 Clinical signs
 Hypothermia
 Dilated pupil
 Dry muzzle
 Suspended urination / defecation
 Dull & lethargic
 Weak heart sounds – immobilisation ruled out
 HYPOMAGNESEMIC TETANY
IN WILD RUMINANTS
 Lactating ruminants
 Clinical signs
• Incoordination
• Hyperaesthesia
• Tetany
• Tonic – clonic convulsions
• Muscular spasms
 Treated with MgSO4 or Mg lactate
 DD – trypanosomiosis / thermo – regulatory
disorders
 PUERPERAL TETANY IN WILD
CANIDS (ECLAMPSIA)
 Life threatening – extreme hypoCa
 In wild canids – jackals, foxes, wild dogs,
hyaena, wolf
 Litter size > 2 – anticipated
 Clinical signs – excitement and convulsions
 Treatment – calcium gluconate & vitamin D2
CALCIUM RELATED METABOLIC
DERANGEMENTS IN BIRDS
 Egg binding – treat with cal.
Borogluconate -  tonicity – expulsion of
egg
 Malformed / shell less egg / partially
shelled eggs / soft shelled eggs /
salpingitis
 COLIC AS A RESULT OF
METABOLIC DERANGEMENT
 Colic in elephants – Acidosis
  feed / unaccustomed feed / GI obstruction / 
water /  exercise
 Clinical signs
• Restlessness
• Constipation
• Depression
• Disobedience / aggression
• Deviated signs of health
 ACUTE ABDOMEN
 Non – infectious – in Ilamas & Camelids
 Clinical Signs
 Dull
 Normal / sub – normal temperature

  pulse, pain

 Normal to cyanotic mm

  RR

  stomach motility

  defecation
THANK YOU