Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine最新文献

{"title":"EVALUATION OF THE OCULAR PARAMETERS AND LESIONS IN A FLOCK OF AQUARIUM-HOUSED AFRICAN BLACK-FOOTED PENGUINS (<i>SPHENISCUS DEMERSUS</i>).","authors":"Kristina S Vuong, Jennifer E Goldreich, Diane Van Horn Hendrix, Xiaojuan Zhu, Katherine H Baine, Braidee C Foote, Julie D Sheldon","doi":"10.1638/2024-0052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2024-0052","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>African black-footed penguins (<i>Spheniscus demersus</i>) are one of the most common penguin species exhibited in zoos and aquariums. Ophthalmic literature published in this species is limited to intraocular pressure (IOP) and corneal thickness. The objective of this research was to evaluate IOP (rebound tonometry; dog setting), tear production, corneal fluorescein staining, and ocular lesions from 48 eyes of 24 penguins (aged 4.29-29.58 yr) at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. Statistical analysis revealed that tear production (12.68 ± 4.59 mm/min [mean ± SD], with a modified half strip in 25 eyes) was not affected by sex or weight or between left and right eyes. Schirmer tear measurements were observed to decrease with age (<i>P</i> = 0.008). IOP (29.81 ± 4.88 mm Hg [mean ± SD]) was not affected by sex, weight, or age or between left and right eyes. Faint corneal fluorescein uptake was observed in four eyes, indicating stippled-to-patchy erosions on the corneal epithelium. Cataracts were the most common ocular lesion (50%; 12/24 penguins) and mostly incipient anterior subcapsular. Increased age (<i>P</i> = 0.024) was determined to be a risk factor for cataracts. Other ocular lesions observed in this group were corneal fibrosis, diffuse chemosis, and perilimbal corneal conjunctivalization. This study contributes to species-specific ocular reference intervals for African black-footed penguins and characterizes their most common ocular lesions.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"96-103"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143605513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ASSESSMENT OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS IN HEALTHY FREE-RANGING GIANT ANTEATERS (<i>MYRMECOPHAGA TRIDACTYLA</i>).","authors":"Bianca C Rezende, Nathany C Vieira, Michelly F Fernandes, Jéssica M Lopes, Thais O Morgado, Flávio D Vieira, Sávio Amado, Fernando H Furlan, Pedro B Néspoli","doi":"10.1638/2023-0138","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2023-0138","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to conduct Doppler echocardiography on healthy free-ranging anteaters (<i>Myrmecophaga tridactyla</i>) and to evaluate the relationship between echocardiographic parameters of diagnostic importance and animal body weight (BW). This work utilized 8 anesthetized adult animals and 4 manually restrained pups. The echocardiographic examinations were performed with the animal in left lateral recumbency. The echocardiographic scans were directed toward the parasternal window. Four cuts of the cardiac silhouette were conducted, two longitudinal and two transverse, to evaluate the systolic and diastolic cardiac parameters. This study recorded the following parameters: interventricular septum (IVS), left ventricular internal diameter (LVID), left ventricular posterior wall (LVPW), ejection fraction (EF), shortening fraction (SF), aortic valve diameter (AOD), and left atrial diameter (LAD). The BW data (kg) of each giant anteater were paired with their respective echocardiographic data. These data were analyzed using correlation and linear regression modeling to assess the extent of the associations between the variables and their reliability. The same associations were analyzed with canine data to compare and determine the possibility of extrapolating the findings between dogs and anteaters. The echocardiographic parameters obtained using M-mode ultrasound from the short-axis transverse sections were adjusted to the left parasternal window because of the difficulty in analyzing them in the right parasternal window. The correlations between the echocardiographic parameters and the BW were found to be reliable, indicating that they could potentially be used as a simulation model for anteaters when an adequate number of animals are included in the analysis. The verification of the echocardiographic values obtained in anteaters utilizing reference intervals for dogs demonstrated acceptable hit rates, although the statistical results were not satisfactory.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"44-53"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143605466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ANTIBODIES TO <i>BESNOITIA</i> SPP. IN THREE SPECIES OF FREERANGING OPOSSUM (<i>DIDELPHIS</i> SPP.) IN FLORIDA, USA, AND BRAZIL.","authors":"Fabiano Montiani-Ferreira, Gema Alvarez Garcia, Diego Matas Aguado, Antonia Gardner, Heather Barron, Giane Helenita Pontarolo, Thállitha Samih Wischral Jayme Vieira, Rafael Felipe da Costa Vieira, Andrés Mauricio Ortega Orozco, Artur Kanadani Campos, Leandro Abreu da Fonseca, Carolyn Cray","doi":"10.1638/2024-0075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2024-0075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The opossum has been recognized as an intermediate host for many parasites including <i>Besnoitia</i> spp., which is a protozoan that infects various mammals, including many wildlife species. A limited number of reports using serology, histopathology, and molecular assays have documented the presence of <i>B. darlingi</i> in opossums. In the present study, samples from three opossum species, including the Virginia opossum (<i>Didelphis virginiana</i>, n = 33) from urban/suburban areas of Florida, USA admitted to rehabilitation centers, and free ranging white-eared and black-eared opossum from two urban areas of Brazil (<i>D. albiventris</i>, n = 33; <i>D. aurita</i>, n = 34, respectively), were examined for antibody reactivity to <i>Besnoitia</i> spp. using indirect immunofluorescence (IFAT) and Western blot (WB) assays adapted for the detection of opossum antibodies. While 3/33 (9.1%) samples from Virginia opossum showed positive reactivity by both methods, none of the samples from the opossum from Brazil showed such reactivity. The three <i>Besnoitia</i>-seropositive samples were obtained from Virginia opossums clinically suspected to have besnoitiosis based on the appearance of diffuse skin lesions. These data support the further evaluation of serological testing in future studies of besnoitiosis in the opossum as well as a hypothesis of limited infection in the opossum of South Florida, USA, and southern and southeastern Brazil. Overall, the preliminary data has management implications for rehabilitation centers that commonly treat this species and research implications in the application of these assays in wildlife species.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"70-78"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143605463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF FREQUENT, LOW-DOSE COPPER OXIDE WIRE PARTICLE TREATMENTS, FED AS A TOP DRESSING, ON GASTROINTESTINAL TRICHOSTRONGYLOID NEMATODE FECAL EGG COUNTS IN SABLE (<i>HIPPOTRAGUS NIGER</i>) AND GEMSBOK (<i>ORYX GAZELLA</i>).","authors":"Avery Tilley, Lauren Schmidt, Julie Swenson, Holly J Haefele","doi":"10.1638/2022-0051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2022-0051","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nematodes of the superfamily Trichostrongyloidea, particularly abomasal species, have severe clinical implications associated with high morbidity and potential mortality of exotic ruminants housed in zoological institutions. The life cycle and ecology of Trichostrongyloid gastrointestinal nematodes (TGN) present challenges in their control including development of anthelmintic resistance and reinfection in high-density managed herds. Copper oxide wire particles (COWP) are used to help control TGN infections in ruminants, administered as a bolus or a feed additive. This study investigated the effects of frequent, low-dose administration of COWP fed as a top dressing on strongyle fecal egg counts (FEC) in gemsbok (<i>Oryx gazella</i>) and sable antelope (<i>Hippotragus niger</i>). Six years of FEC data (n = 33), obtained using a modified McMaster fecal flotation, were analyzed from individuals at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, treated exclusively with commercially available COWP in a topdressing application dosed at 25 mg/kg every 30-60 days. COWP decreased FEC in both species by a mean FEC reduction ratio of 45%, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) using a one-tailed paired t-test log-stabilized to minimize variance; no clinically negative effects, including copper toxicity, were observed. COWP were more effective at reducing FEC in individuals with pre-treatment FEC greater than 1000 eggs/g of feces, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). We conclude that frequent, low dose, top dressing application of COWP is effective at reducing FEC in sable and gemsbok, but COWP should not serve as a stand-alone method or to treat clinically affected exotic ruminants.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"113-120"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"RISK FACTORS FOR MORTALITY IN BIRDS OF PREY UNDERGOING REHABILITATION IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL.","authors":"Ana P Morel, Katia Jaggi, Eduarda A N L Dias Cavalcanti, Samantha S Soares, Gleide Marsicano, Márcio M Costa, Marcio N Corrêa, Raqueli T França","doi":"10.1638/2023-0145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2023-0145","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As top predators, birds of prey play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance, making their conservation essential. This retrospective study examined risk factors influencing the release or mortality of raptors treated at three rehabilitation centers in southern Brazil. Of 1,035 raptors admitted, Strigiformes were the most common, particularly <i>Megascops choliba</i> (tropical screech owl). Most admitted birds were adults (46.57%) admitted during the Southern Hemisphere's spring (36.91%). The musculoskeletal system was the most frequently affected (44.84%). Risk factors for mortality or euthanasia included age, with adults more likely to die than chicks. Raptors with one body system affected were 17 times more likely to die or be euthanized than those with none, and this increased to 62 times with two systems affected. Respiratory injuries had a higher fatality rate compared with other systems. Time in captivity was positively correlated with release rates; raptors treated longer had a 0.98 greater chance of being reintroduced into the wild. Compared with younger birds, the prognosis was worse for adult raptors admitted with two affected body systems. These results support veterinarians in rehabilitation centers by aiding decision-making and strengthening conservation efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"154-160"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"FIRST REPORT OF TUMORS IN GARDEN DORMICE (<i>ELIOMYS QUERCINUS</i>).","authors":"Annika Posautz, Gregor Springler, Anna Kübber-Heiss, Sylvain Giroud","doi":"10.1638/2023-0095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2023-0095","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The garden dormouse is listed as \"near threatened\" on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Research on this species concentrates primarily on their hibernating strategies and physiology. However, little is known about infectious entities in this species, even less about neoplastic diseases. This case series presents the first report of different neoplasms in a population of garden dormice (<i>Eliomys quercinus</i>) under human care. This report includes six animals (four males, two females, four to seven years old). Four animals were euthanized, and two were found dead in the enclosure. Tissues of the animals were stained with Hematoxylin and eosin. Special staining (methyl green pyronin, desmin, vimentin, and cytokeratin) was performed to confirm diagnoses. Tumors found in these animals consisted of a pancreatic adenocarcinoma, a plasma cell tumor, an osteosarcoma, and three sarcomas. Because of their declining population trend and efforts of reintroduction, knowledge about diseases is imperative, especially, if there might be a genetic influence, which could hinder the success of conservation efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"169-174"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143605520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY COMPARING THE SAFETY OF KETAMINE-MEDETOMIDINE AND TILETAMINE-ZOLAZEPAM-MEDETOMIDINE FOR CHEMICAL RESTRAINT OF CAPTIVE <i>PANTHERA SPP</i>.","authors":"Alexander Norman B, Elliott Simpson-Brown, Stuart Patterson B","doi":"10.1638/2024-0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2024-0018","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Chemical restraint, whether remote via dart or via hand injection is essential for many veterinary procedures in captive and wild <i>Panthera spp</i>. but carries risk both to the animal and staff involved. Anecdotal patient safety concerns have been raised for the use of Tiletamine-Zolazepam (TZ), particularly in tigers, that have since been disputed. This investigation assesses the incidence of multiple reported anesthetic complications, including ataxia, respiratory depression/apnea, seizures, bradycardia and retching/vomiting, in captive <i>Panthera spp</i>. immobilized with Ketamine-Medetomidine or TZ-Medetomidine. Three hundred and two anesthetic records were provided by Dr. John Lewis with 44% reporting at least one complication (n = 133). Seventeen sedations using ketamine-medetomidine (9.7%) were reported to provide inadequate depth or require top-up ketamine compared to 12.5% (n = 16) in the TZ-medetomidine group. Species, age, reason for immobilization and requirement for maintenance with isoflurane were identified as significant confounding variables within these data. There was no significant difference in the risk of respiratory depression and seizures in tigers immobilized with ketamine-medetomidine or TZ-medetomidine. However, the TZ group were more likely to be ataxic on recovery. There was no significant difference in risk when immobilizing lions with either protocol. Leopards experienced significantly more complications with TZ-medetomidine than ketamine-medetomidine or TZ as a sole agent, suggesting that this is linked to an unknown confounding variable and not the drugs used. In conclusion, this study identified no justification for the contraindication for TZ in the chemical restraint of <i>Panthera spp</i>. including <i>P. tigris</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"16-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143605457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"CROSS-SPECIES TRANSMISSION OF A GENOGROUP C <i>FERLAVIRUS</i> IN A ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTION IN THE UNITED STATES.","authors":"Adriana R Pastor, Gary West, Julie Swenson, Michael M Garner, April L Childress, James F X Wellehan","doi":"10.1638/2023-0123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2023-0123","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ferlaviruses have been associated with significant mortality events in squamates. Over a 5-month period in 2012, a mortality event at the Phoenix Zoo involved seven rattlesnakes (<i>Crotalus spp.</i>), a Sonoran gopher snake (<i>Pituophis catenifer af</i>fi<i>nis</i>), and a Gila monster (<i>Heloderma suspectum</i>). All individuals had been managed within the same group of enclosures at the zoo, and many of the affected individuals had previously been housed together. Clinical signs during the outbreak included sudden death, agonal behavior, anorexia, regurgitation, and loss of body condition. Histologic findings were similar in all animals, with lesions primarily in the respiratory tract and pancreas; these findings were consistent with viral infection, and in five of the seven cases for which samples were submitted, RT-PCR identified a genogroup C <i>Ferlavirus</i>. The findings in this outbreak support the possibility of cross-species viral transmission and clinical disease associated with genogroup C <i>Ferlavirus</i> infection and suggest persistence of paramyxoviral infection within captive reptile populations. These findings have widespread implications for the management of mixed reptile species habitats in zoological and private collections, and suggest a need to include all reptiles, not just snakes, in preshipment and quarantine investigation of potential ferlavirus infection.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"184-192"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143605491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"OCULAR FINDINGS IN SLOTH BEARS (<i>MELURSUS URSINUS</i>) RESCUED FROM THE DANCING BEAR TRADE IN INDIA.","authors":"Claudia Hartley, Claudia Busse, Marian Matas Riera, Heather J Bacon, Attur Shanmugam Arun, Ilayaraja Selvaraj, Kartick Satyanarayan, Geetha Seshamani, Alan Knight","doi":"10.1638/2023-0117","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2023-0117","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to descriptively characterize the ophthalmic findings identified in 43 adult sloth bears <i>(Melursus ursinus)</i> rescued from the dancing bear trade in India and examined at two sloth bear rehabilitation centers in Agra and Bannerghatta nr. Bangalore. Animals were selected where ocular disease was suspected except for two bears which were examined while anesthetized for other reasons (fight wound, health check). Full ophthalmic examinations were undertaken under general anesthesia. Ocular ultrasonography, electroretinography, and photography were also performed. Forty-three bears (86 eyes) were examined. Mean Schirmer tear test (STT) = 12+/-6.2 (median 12, 95% CI -0.4-24.4) mm/min. Mean intraocular pressure (IOP) = 11.4+/-3.7 (median 12, 95% CI 4-18.8) mmHg excluding phthisical or grossly hydrophthalmic eyes. Ocular disease perceived to result in uni- or bilateral blindness was common (35 bears) with one or more of the following: phthisis bulbi (19 eyes; 13 bears), cataract (28 eyes; 17 bears), retinal detachment (29 eyes; 21 bears), and retinal degeneration (19 eyes; 16 bears) recorded frequently. Ocular ultrasound recorded mean axial globe diameter in non-phthisical/non-hydrophthalmic eyes as 16.5 +/-1.4 (median 16.4, 95% CI 13.7-19.3) mm and mean axial lens diameter of 4.9 +/-0.1 (median 4.7, 95% CI 4.7-5.1) mm. Blinding ocular disease was common, in particular, phthisis bulbi, retinal degeneration, and retinal detachment. Retinal detachment and phthisis bulbi may relate to blunt force ocular trauma prior to rescue, but ocular tuberculosis (TB) cannot be excluded, and retinal degeneration could result from a poor diet prior to rescue.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"104-112"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF GOLDEN-MANTLED HOWLER MONKEYS (<i>ALOUATTA PALLIATA PALLIATA</i>) IN DRY FOREST FROM THE NORTH PACIFIC COAST, COSTA RICA.","authors":"Shannon B Nodolf, Joseph A Smith, Kurt A Volle, Sofía Bernal-Valle, Gaby Dolz, Mariah Russell","doi":"10.1638/2023-0128","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1638/2023-0128","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The golden-mantled howler monkey (<i>Alouatta palliata palliata</i>) represents an excellent sentinel species for use in One Health modeling because of its extensive natural range, regular contact with humans and domestic animals, and susceptibility to zoonotic diseases. The purpose of this research is to establish baseline health assessments for free ranging golden-mantled howler monkeys in Marino Las Baulas National Park, Costa Rica. In April 2013, seven free ranging golden-mantled howler monkeys were anesthetized for physical examinations and biological sample collection, including blood for hematology and blood gas analysis. All seven howler monkeys studied appeared in good overall health. On physical exams, 4/7 (57%) had some level of dental disease, most notably crown fractures. Fecal samples for endoparasite evaluation were collected from the seven anesthetized animals as well as an additional three animals that were anesthetized but remained in the trees out of reach for full physical exams. Feces were collected from the rectum or collected from the ground immediately after defecation. Fecal analysis showed 9/10 (90%) had one or more species of intestinal parasites, and one animal tested positive for <i>Giardia</i> spp. Hematologic values showed a mild monocytosis and eosinophilia compared to other <i>Alouatta</i> spp. <i>Trypanosoma</i> spp. were present in the blood smear of one animal. Additional vector-borne disease testing found one individual PCR positive to <i>Plasmodium</i> spp., and one individual PCR positive to Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Antibodies for West Nile virus were found in 5/7 (71%) of the animals; however, PCR testing for West Nile virus and dengue virus was negative for all samples. This represents the first published health assessments for howler monkeys in this region.</p>","PeriodicalId":17667,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine","volume":"56 1","pages":"33-43"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143604912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}