Cataracts and strabismus associated with hand rearing using artificial milk formulas in Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris spp tigris) cubs

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Abstract

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.

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Most cited references 48

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Influence of dietary calcium, phosphorus, zinc and sodium phytate level on cataract incidence, growth and histopathology in juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

Dale N. Richardson, R Beames, Nicholas Higgs … (1985)

To determine the influence of wide variations in dietary levels of calcium, zinc and phytic acid (as sodium phytate) on growth and cataract incidence, juvenile chinook salmon held at 10-11 degrees C were fed daily to satiation for 105 d one of nine purified diets containing one of three levels (grams/kilogram) of calcium (averaged 4.8, 17.7, 50.2), zinc (averaged 0.05, 0.15, 0.39) and phytic acid (1.62, 6.46, 25.8). Diets were formulated to have a calcium-phosphorus ratio of close to unity when considering phosphorus sources other than sodium phytate. High dietary phytic acid concentration (25.8 g/kg) depressed chinook salmon growth, food and protein conversion [protein efficiency ratio (PER)] and thyroid function, increased mortality, promoted cataract formation (zinc at 0.05 g/kg) and induced anomalies in pyloric cecal structure. Calcium at 51 g/kg (or phosphorus) exacerbated the effects of high dietary phytate and low dietary zinc on cataract incidence. Moreover, high dietary levels of calcium (48-51 g/kg) coupled with phosphorus significantly impaired the growth and appetite of low phytic acid (1.62 g/kg) groups and led to nephrocalcinosis in low and high phytic acid groups. Plasma zinc levels were directly related to dietary zinc concentration and inversely related to dietary phytic acid level. Calcium (51 g/kg) and/or phosphorus reduced zinc bioavailability when the diet concurrently contained 0.05 g zinc and 25.8 g of phytic acid per kilogram. It is concluded that zinc is essential for normal eye development in juvenile chinook salmon. Further, zinc deficiency could not be induced in chinook salmon fed diets with high ratios of calcium (or phosphorus) to zinc alone. This required the simultaneous presence of a strong mineral (zinc)-binding agent.

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Taurine and zoo felids: considerations of dietary and biological tissue concentrations.

Q Rogers, E Dierenfeld, G Hedberg (2007)

Taurine (TAU) is an essential amino acid required in the diets of Felidae at concentrations ranging between 0.04 and 0.2% on a dry matter (DM) basis (in purified, highly digestible diets, and canned diets, respectively). Although the domestic cat seems to be an appropriate physiologic model for zoo felids, it is sometimes difficult to assess TAU status in zoo feeding programs owing to scattered information on feed ingredient TAU content as well as a lack of normal ranges for assessment of TAU in biological tissues. Knowing that TAU is required in the formulation of hand-rearing diets for exotic felids, the TAU content of 38 ingredients or products used in zoo carnivore feeding or hand-rearing programs was summarized, including 21 new feedstuffs for which TAU data were previously lacking. The kitten milk replacer contained a lower than expected value for TAU. Commercially prepared frozen or canned meat products, seafood products, whole rodent prey, and most strained meat jarred baby foods contained adequate TAU; chunk meats, and some specific types of jarred baby food meats were considerably lower in TAU content (

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Diffuse alopecia in a child due to dietary zinc deficiency.

Eyad Alhaj, Nehad Alhaj, Nezam Alhaj (2024)

A 4-year-old girl was evaluated for hair loss of a few weeks' duration. History of the present illness, medical history, and review of systems were obtained from the parents, who described progressive diffuse hair loss with hair dryness and brittleness, with no change in the child's eating habits or any other unusual symptoms. No fever, weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, chronic cough, dyspnea, change in appetite, change in bowel habit, or urinary symptoms were noted. On further questioning, her nutritional history revealed that she always favored cow's milk in her diet. The patient has been healthy with no significant medical history, surgical history, psychiatric history, or history of hospitalization. She was taking no medications. Her mother's pregnancy and the child's birth history were uneventful. The child was up-to-date on her vaccinations. Her physical examination showed a healthy-appearing child who was at 50% on the height chart and 70% on the weight growth chart. She was afebrile with a respiratory rate of 24 breaths per minute, pulse rate of 110 beats per minute, and pulse oximetry of 99% on room air. Skin examination revealed interstitial diffuse patchy alopecia with very dry hair and nonscarred, normal-appearing scalp. The hair pull test was normal, with 4 hairs extracted. Results of examination of her eyes (including visual acuity) and lungs were normal, and no abnormalities were found on heart, abdominal, musculoskeletal, and neurologic examinations. Laboratory workup showed normal electrolytes, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and blood sugar levels. Her complete blood cell count with differential was normal, ferritin concentration level was 110 ng/mL (reference, 40-200 ng/mL), iron level was 75 microg/dL (reference, 35-175 microg/dL), and total iron-binding capacity was 310 microg/dL (reference, 245-400 microg/dL). Levels of liver enzymes, total bilirubin, serum protein, and albumin were normal, as were the results of urinalysis. Thyroid function test results were normal and levels of vitamins A and D were also normal. Low levels of serum zinc were measured repeatedly at 48 and 61 microg/dL (reference, 66-144 microg/dL) at 2 different laboratories. She was started on zinc supplement (50 mg daily) for 6 months and her diet was modified. The hair loss stopped in 3 weeks. Follow-up in 4 months showed no evidence of alopecia, with normal-looking hair.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Open Vet J

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Open Vet J

Title: Open Veterinary Journal

Publisher: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tripoli and Libyan Authority for Research, Science and Technology (Tripoli, Libya )

ISSN (Print): 2226-4485

ISSN (Electronic): 2218-6050

Publication date (Print): 2017

Publication date (Electronic): 31 January 2017

Volume: 7

Issue: 1

Pages: 23-31

Affiliations

[1 ] Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Bairro Juvevê, 80035-050, Curitiba – PR, Brazil

[2 ] Universidade Estadual de Campina (UNICAMP), Centro de Ciência e Qualidade de Alimentos ITAL, Avenida Brasil, 2880, Campinas – SP, Brazil

Author notes

[* ] Corresponding Author: Fabiano Montiani-Ferreira. Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, Bairro Juvevê, 80035-050, Curitiba – PR, Brazil. Email: montiani@ 123456ufpr.br

Article

Publisher ID: OpenVetJ-7-23

DOI: 10.4314/ovj.v7i1.4

PMC ID: 5301058

SO-VID: 6c216035-8973-4dc1-9251-20cec84cfc36

License:

Open Veterinary Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Cataracts and strabismus associated with hand rearing using artificial milk formulas in Bengal tiger ( Panthera tigris spp tigris) cubs

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Most cited references 48

Influence of dietary calcium, phosphorus, zinc and sodium phytate level on cataract incidence, growth and histopathology in juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha).

Taurine and zoo felids: considerations of dietary and biological tissue concentrations.

Diffuse alopecia in a child due to dietary zinc deficiency.

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