1
|
Lee SB, Yuen AHL, Lee YM, Kim SW, Kim S, Poon CTC, Jung WJ, Giri SS, Kim SG, Jo SJ, Park JH, Hwang MH, Seo JP, Choe S, Kim BY, Park SC. Adhesive Bowel Obstruction (ABO) in a Stranded Narrow-Ridged Finless Porpoise ( Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3767. [PMID: 38136803 PMCID: PMC10741132 DOI: 10.3390/ani13243767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In this case report, we present a rare occurrence of a narrow-ridged finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri), discovered on the coast of Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, that was afflicted with adhesive bowel obstruction (ABO), a life-threatening condition that has scarcely been reported in cetaceans. Diagnosis of ABO was confirmed via radiological and clinical assessments. Post-mortem computed tomography and necropsy revealed ABO between two loops of the jejunum at the L8 level. The mesenteric tissue covering the intestinal lesion was severely thickened with increased tension. Both bowel loops were fixed to the mesentery and acutely angulated, leading to asymmetrical thickening of the cross-sectional bowel walls. The intestinal lumen was stenosed because of pressure from the firm mesenteric band, and no fecal matter was observed in the lumen of the posterior bowel or rectum. Calcified nodules were detected, and histological analysis suggested parasitic or suspected post-parasitic infections. The primary cause of the intestinal lesions is presumed to be a reaction related to parasitic infection. However, further investigations would establish a definitive link between parasitic infections and ABO in this species. This case highlights the importance of studying rare medical conditions in wildlife, providing valuable insights into marine mammal health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sung Bin Lee
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; (S.B.L.); (Y.M.L.); (W.J.J.); (S.S.G.); (S.J.J.); (J.H.P.); (M.H.H.)
| | - Adams Hei Long Yuen
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; (S.B.L.); (Y.M.L.); (W.J.J.); (S.S.G.); (S.J.J.); (J.H.P.); (M.H.H.)
- Radiotherapy and Oncology Centre, Gleneagles Hospital Hong Kong, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong SAR, China;
| | - Young Min Lee
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; (S.B.L.); (Y.M.L.); (W.J.J.); (S.S.G.); (S.J.J.); (J.H.P.); (M.H.H.)
| | - Sang Wha Kim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Endemic Disease, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea;
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunmin Kim
- Department of Parasitology, Parasite Research Center, International Parasite Resource Bank, School of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea; (S.K.); (S.C.)
| | | | - Won Joon Jung
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; (S.B.L.); (Y.M.L.); (W.J.J.); (S.S.G.); (S.J.J.); (J.H.P.); (M.H.H.)
| | - Sib Sankar Giri
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; (S.B.L.); (Y.M.L.); (W.J.J.); (S.S.G.); (S.J.J.); (J.H.P.); (M.H.H.)
| | - Sang Guen Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kyonggi University, Suwon 16227, Republic of Korea;
| | - Su Jin Jo
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; (S.B.L.); (Y.M.L.); (W.J.J.); (S.S.G.); (S.J.J.); (J.H.P.); (M.H.H.)
| | - Jae Hong Park
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; (S.B.L.); (Y.M.L.); (W.J.J.); (S.S.G.); (S.J.J.); (J.H.P.); (M.H.H.)
| | - Mae Hyun Hwang
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; (S.B.L.); (Y.M.L.); (W.J.J.); (S.S.G.); (S.J.J.); (J.H.P.); (M.H.H.)
| | - Jong-pil Seo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Medical Research Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea;
| | - Seongjun Choe
- Department of Parasitology, Parasite Research Center, International Parasite Resource Bank, School of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea; (S.K.); (S.C.)
| | - Byung Yeop Kim
- Department of Marine Industry and Maritime Police, College of Ocean Science, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Se Chang Park
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; (S.B.L.); (Y.M.L.); (W.J.J.); (S.S.G.); (S.J.J.); (J.H.P.); (M.H.H.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Monteiro JP, Ferreira HB, Melo T, Flanagan C, Urbani N, Neves J, Domingues P, Domingues MR. The plasma phospholipidome of the bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus) is modulated by both sex and developmental stage. Mol Omics 2023; 19:35-47. [PMID: 36314173 DOI: 10.1039/d2mo00202g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Lipidomics represent a valid complementary tool to the biochemical analysis of plasma in humans. However, in cetaceans, these tools have been unexplored. Here, we evaluated how the plasma lipid composition of Tursiops truncatus is modulated by developmental stage and sex, aiming at a potential use of lipidomics in integrated strategies to monitor cetacean health. We characterized the fatty acid profile and detected a total of 26 fatty acids in T. truncatus plasma. The most abundant fatty acids were palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0) and oleic acid (C18:1n-9). Interestingly, there are consistent differences between the fatty acid profile of mature female and mature male specimens. Phospholipidome analysis identified 320 different lipid species belonging to phosphatidylcholine (PC, 105 lipid species), lysophosphatidylcholine (42), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE, 67), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (18), phosphatidylglycerol (14), lysophosphatidylglycerol (8), phosphatidylinositol (14), lysophosphatidylinositol (2), phosphatidylserine (3), sphingomyelin (45) and ceramides (2) classes. The statistical analysis of the phospholipidome showed that its composition allows discriminating mature animals between sexes and mature males from immature males. Notably, discrimination between sexes is mainly determined by the contents of PE plasmalogens and lysophospholipids (LPC and LPE), while the differences between mature and immature male animals were mainly determined by the levels of PC lipids. This is the first time that a correlation between developmental stage and sex and the lipid composition of the plasma has been established in cetaceans. Being able to discern between age and sex-related changes is an encouraging step towards using these tools to also detect differences related to disease/dysfunction processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- João P Monteiro
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Helena B Ferreira
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Tânia Melo
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | | | | | - Pedro Domingues
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - M Rosário Domingues
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
INVESTIGATION OF THE USE OF SERUM BIOMARKERS FOR THE DETECTION OF CARDIAC DISEASE IN MARINE MAMMALS. J Zoo Wildl Med 2022; 53:373-382. [PMID: 35758579 DOI: 10.1638/2021-0152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac disease has been extensively documented in marine mammals; however, it remains difficult to diagnose antemortem. Assays measuring cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are used as sensitive and specific biomarkers of cardiac disease in many species, but have not been widely investigated in marine mammals. This study aimed to provide a set of reference values for cTnI and NT-proBNP in belugas (BW) (Delphinapterus leucas), sea otters (SO) (Enhydra lutris), Steller sea lions (SSL) (Eumetopias jubatus), and California sea lions (CSL) (Zalophus californianus) with and without cardiac disease, and to determine if these biomarkers are useful indicators of cardiac disease in these species. First, existing immunoassays for cTnI and NT-proBNP were successfully validated utilizing species-specific heart lysate spiked serum. Cohorts were defined by histopathology as animals with no evidence of cardiac disease ("control"), with confirmed cardiac disease ("disease"), and with concurrent renal and cardiac disease ("renal") for which serum samples were then analyzed. Serum concentration ranges for cTnI (ng/ml) and NT-proBNP (pmol/L) were determined for control and disease cohorts. There was significantly higher cTnI (P= 0.003) and NT-proBNP (P= 0.004) concentrations in the CSL disease cohort, as well as positive trends in BW, SO, and SSL disease cohorts that did not reach statistical significance. NT-proBNP concentrations were significantly higher in the CSL renal cohort compared with the control (P < 0.001) and disease (P= 0.007) cohorts. These results suggest that cTnI and NT-proBNP may be clinically useful in the antemortem diagnosis of cardiac disease in CSL, and warrant further investigation in BW, SO, and SL.
Collapse
|
4
|
Mugetti D, Colombino E, Capucchio MT, Salogni C, Pastorino P, Chiappino L, Sereno A, Prearo M, Guarda F. Teleost fish: a new spontaneous model for the study of Lambl's excrescences. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2021; 146:75-79. [PMID: 34617513 DOI: 10.3354/dao03620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Lambl's excrescences (LE) are fibrous strands typically occurring at coaptation lines of cardiac valves. Although they have been widely reported in human medicine, information on LE occurrence in veterinary medicine is still scarce. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of LE in different freshwater fish and in swordfish. A total of 185 hearts were collected from different fish species, and samples of different cardiac areas (sinus venosus, atrial wall with sinoatrial valves, ventricular wall with atrioventricular valves and bulb with bulboventricular valves) were submitted to histopathological evaluation. LE were detected in 6 of 103 freshwater fish (5.8%) and 19 of 82 swordfish (23.2%). LE developed in atrioventricular, sinoatrial and bulboventricular valves. All affected valves also showed endocardiosis. Based on the results of the present work, teleost fish, specifically swordfish, could be proposed as a novel spontaneous model for the study of LE pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Mugetti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, 10154 Torino, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Linnehan BK, Hsu A, Gomez FM, Huston SM, Takeshita R, Colegrove KM, Rowles TK, Barratclough A, Musser WB, Harms CA, Cendejas V, Zolman ES, Balmer BC, Townsend FI, Wells RS, Jensen ED, Schwacke LH, Smith CR. Standardization of Dolphin Cardiac Auscultation and Characterization of Heart Murmurs in Managed and Free-Ranging Bottlenose Dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus). Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:570055. [PMID: 33240948 PMCID: PMC7678442 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.570055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiac auscultation is an important, albeit underutilized tool in aquatic animal medicine due to the many challenges associated with in-water examinations. The aims of this prospective study were to (1) establish an efficient and repeatable in-water cardiac auscultation technique in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), (2) describe the presence and characterization of heart murmurs detected in free-ranging and managed dolphins, and (3) characterize heart murmur etiology through echocardiography in free-ranging dolphins. For technique development, 65 dolphins cared for by the Navy Marine Mammal Program (Navy) were auscultated. The techniques were then applied to two free-ranging dolphin populations during capture-release health assessments: Sarasota Bay, Florida (SB), a reference population, and Barataria Bay, LA (BB), a well-studied population of dolphins impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Systolic heart murmurs were detected at a frequent and similar prevalence in all dolphin populations examined (Navy 92%, SB 89%, and BB 88%), and characterized as fixed or dynamic. In all three populations, sternal cranial and left cranial were the most common locations for murmur point of maximal intensity (PMI). An in-water transthoracic echocardiogram technique was refined on a subset of Navy dolphins, and full echocardiographic exams were performed on 17 SB dolphins and 29 BB dolphins, of which, 40 had murmurs. Spectral Doppler was used to measure flow velocities across the outflow tracts, and almost all dolphins with audible murmurs had peak outflow velocities ≥1.6 m/s (95%, 38/40); three dolphins also had medium mitral regurgitation which could be the source of their murmurs. The presence of audible murmurs in most of the free-ranging dolphins (88%) was attributed to high velocity blood flow as seen on echocardiography, similar to a phenomenon described in other athletic species. These innocent murmurs were generally characterized as Grade I-III systolic murmurs with PMI in the left or sternal cranial region. This study is the first to describe an efficient technique for in-water dolphin cardiac auscultation, and to present evidence that heart murmurs are common in bottlenose dolphins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Adonia Hsu
- San Diego Veterinary Cardiology, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Forrest M Gomez
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Sharon M Huston
- San Diego Veterinary Cardiology, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Ryan Takeshita
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Kathleen M Colegrove
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Brookfield, IL, United States
| | - Teri K Rowles
- Office of Protected Resources, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | | | | | - Craig A Harms
- Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, North Carolina State University, Morehead City, NC, United States
| | | | - Eric S Zolman
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Brian C Balmer
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, United States
| | - Eric D Jensen
- U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Lori H Schwacke
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Cynthia R Smith
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
POSTMORTEM FINDINGS IN CETACEANS FOUND STRANDED IN THE PELAGOS SANCTUARY, ITALY, 2007-14. J Wildl Dis 2017; 53:795-803. [PMID: 28475451 DOI: 10.7589/2016-07-150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Between 2007 and 2014, 83 cetaceans were found stranded along the Ligurian coast of Italy, in the Pelagos Sanctuary, the largest marine protected area in the Mediterranean basin. Forty-nine (59%) were submitted to complete or partial necropsy, depending on the conservation status of the carcass. Based on gross and histological pathology and ancillary testing, the cause of death was determined and categorized as anthropogenic or natural (i.e., nonanthropogenic) in origin for 33 animals (67%) and of undetermined origin in the remaining 16 (33%). Natural causes of death, accompanied by either poor or good nutritional status, were attributed to 29 animals (59%), whereas four (8%) were diagnosed with an anthropogenic cause of death, consisting of interaction with fishing activities. Infectious and noninfectious disease was the most common cause of death, involving 29 cetaceans (59%). These data are valuable for understanding health and mortality trends in cetacean populations and can provide information for establishing policies for cetacean conservation and management in such an important protected area of the Mediterranean basin.
Collapse
|
7
|
Godoy-Vitorino F, Rodriguez-Hilario A, Alves AL, Gonçalves F, Cabrera-Colon B, Mesquita CS, Soares-Castro P, Ferreira M, Marçalo A, Vingada J, Eira C, Santos PM. The microbiome of a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded in Portugal. Res Microbiol 2016; 168:85-93. [PMID: 27615066 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Infectious diseases with epizootic consequences have not been fully studied in marine mammals. Presently, the unprecedented depth of sequencing, made available by high-throughput approaches, allows detailed comparisons of the microbiome in health and disease. This is the first report of the striped dolphin microbiome in different body sites. Samples from one striped female edematous dolphin were acquired from a variety of body niches, including the blowhole, oral cavity, oral mucosa, tongue, stomach, intestines and genital mucosa. Detailed 16S rRNA analysis of over half a million sequences identified 235 OTUs. Beta diversity analyses indicated that microbial communities vary in structure and cluster by sample origin. Pathogenic, Gram-negative, facultative and obligate anaerobic taxa were significantly detected, including Cetobacterium, Fusobacterium and Ureaplasma. Phocoenobacter and Arcobacter dominated the oral-type samples, while Cardiobacteriaceae and Vibrio were associated with the blowhole and Photobacterium were abundant in the gut. We report for the first time the association of Epulopiscium with a marine mammal gut. The striped dolphin microbiota shows variation in structure and diversity according to the organ type. The high dominance of Gram-negative anaerobic pathogens evidences a cetacean microbiome affected by human-related bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Godoy-Vitorino
- Microbial Ecology and Genomics Lab, Department of Natural Sciences, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus, P.O. Box 191293, 00919-1293 San Juan, Puerto Rico.
| | - Arnold Rodriguez-Hilario
- Microbial Ecology and Genomics Lab, Department of Natural Sciences, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus, P.O. Box 191293, 00919-1293 San Juan, Puerto Rico.
| | - Ana Luísa Alves
- Department of Biology and Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-087 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Filipa Gonçalves
- Department of Biology and Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-087 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Beatriz Cabrera-Colon
- Microbial Ecology and Genomics Lab, Department of Natural Sciences, Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus, P.O. Box 191293, 00919-1293 San Juan, Puerto Rico.
| | - Cristina Sousa Mesquita
- Department of Biology and Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-087 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Pedro Soares-Castro
- Department of Biology and Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-087 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Marisa Ferreira
- Department of Biology and Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-087 Braga, Portugal; Portuguese Wildlife Society (SPVS), Quiaios Field Station, Apartado 16 EC Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, Portugal.
| | - Ana Marçalo
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - José Vingada
- Portuguese Wildlife Society (SPVS), Quiaios Field Station, Apartado 16 EC Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, Portugal; Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-087 Braga, Portugal.
| | - Catarina Eira
- Portuguese Wildlife Society (SPVS), Quiaios Field Station, Apartado 16 EC Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, Portugal; Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Pedro Miguel Santos
- Department of Biology and Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-087 Braga, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Szatmári V, Bunskoek P, Kuiken T, van den Berg A, van Elk C. Echocardiographic diagnosis and necropsy findings of a congenital ventricular septal defect in a stranded harbor porpoise. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2016; 118:177-183. [PMID: 27025305 DOI: 10.3354/dao02973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A live-stranded harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena was found on the west coast of the Dutch island Texel (North Sea) and transported to a rehabilitation center for small cetaceans, where it underwent a veterinary health check. Cardiac auscultation revealed a systolic cardiac murmur with the point of maximal intensity in the right hemithorax with an intensity of IV out of VI. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a congenital ventricular septal defect with left-to-right shunting. Because the left atrium was not dilated according to the reference range of canine left atrium to aortic ratio, the presence of congestive heart failure was considered very unlikely. Therefore, this congenital cardiac anomaly was thought to be a clinically non-relevant incidental finding and would not explain the weakness, coughing, anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea. Because the animal was still unable to swim or eat by itself after 2 wk of supportive care, it was euthanized. Post-mortem examination confirmed the presence of a ventricular septal defect. The weight of the heart relative to the animal's length was greater than expected, using linear regression analysis on the lengths and cardiac weights of 71 other stranded wild harbor porpoises without macroscopic cardiac pathologic changes. This finding suggests that the left ventricle had an eccentric hypertrophy because of volume overload resulting from the intracardiac shunt. This is the first report of a congenital cardiac anomaly and its ante-mortem diagnosis in this species. Data presented for the other 71 harbor porpoises may provide reference values for this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Szatmári
- Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 108, 3584 CM, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Eissa AE, M. Abu-Sei A. Synopsis on the Most Common Pathologies of Dolphins. JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCE 2015. [DOI: 10.3923/jfas.2015.307.322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
|