Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
|
 |
|
Jacobson, E. R., Berry, K. H., Stacy, B., Huzella, L. M., Kalasinsky, V. F., Fleetwood, M. L., & Mense, M. G. (2009). Oxalosis in wild desert tortoises, gopherus agassizii. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 45(4), 982–988.
Added by: Admin (21 Nov 2009 11:59:57 UTC) Last edited by: Beate Pfau (21 Nov 2009 14:56:20 UTC) |
| Resource type: Journal Article BibTeX citation key: Jacobson2009a View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Blut = blood, Ernährung = nutrition, Gopherus, Gopherus agassizii, Habitat = habitat, Nordamerika = North America, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises, Testudinidae, Veterinärmedizin = veterinary medicine Creators: Berry, Fleetwood, Huzella, Jacobson, Kalasinsky, Mense, Stacy Collection: Journal of Wildlife Diseases |
Views: 3/465
Views index: 8% Popularity index: 2% |
| Abstract |
|
Testudinidae ABSTRACT: We necropsied a moribund, wild adult male desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) with clinical signs of respiratory disease and elevated plasma biochemical analytes indicative of renal disease (blood urea nitrogen , uric acid , sodium and chloride ). Moderate numbers of birefringent oxalate crystals, based on infrared and electron microscopy, were present within renal tubules; small numbers were seen in colloid within thyroid follicles. A retrospective analysis of 66 additional cases of wild desert tortoises was conducted to determine whether similar crystals were present in thyroid and kidney. The tortoises, from the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, were necropsied between 1992 and 2003 and included juveniles and adults. Tortoises were classified as healthy (those that died due to trauma and where no disease was identified after necropsy and evaluation by standard laboratory tests used for other tortoises) or not healthy (having one or more diseases or lesions). For all 67 necropsied tortoises, small numbers of crystals of similar appearance were present in thyroid glands from 44 of 54 cases (81%) and in kidneys from three of 65 cases (5%). Presence of oxalates did not differ significantly between healthy and unhealthy tortoises, between age classes, or between desert region, and their presence was considered an incidental finding. Small numbers of oxalate crystals seen within the kidney of two additional tortoises also were considered an incidental finding. Although the source of the calcium oxalate could not be determined, desert tortoises are herbivores, and a plant origin seems most likely. Studies are needed to evaluate the oxalate content of plants consumed by desert tortoises, and particularly those in the area where the tortoise in renal failure was found.
Added by: Admin Last edited by: Beate Pfau |