WildLife Group of the SAVA
transaminase ( AST ) ( P = 0.005 ), urea ( P = 0.04 ), cortisol ( P = 0.03 ), glucose ( P = 0.03 ) and fibrinogen ( P = 0.008 ). Magnesium ( P = 0.002 ), total calcium ( P = 0.004 ), ionised calcium ( P = 0.04 ) and serum inorganic phosphate ( P = 0.007 ) were significantly lower in the injured group compared to the non-injured group . When comparing within the injured group , only magnesium ( P = 0.03 ) was significantly lower in non-survivors compared to survivors . These findings emphasise the need for the practitioner to correlate the abovementioned biochemical parameters with clinical findings in order to help predict case outcomes regarding survival .
Further investigation and larger sample sizes are needed to investigate the abovementioned parameters , especially with regard to case outcome . This study will hopefully aid future research to be more focused .
Factors influencing horn growth and consequences of dehorning game-ranched white rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum simum )
Cyriel Ververs 1 , Miel Hostens 1 , Martine van Zijll Langhout 3 , Michelle Otto 2 , Jan Govaere 1 , Barbara Durrant 4 and Ann Van Soom 1
1
Department of Reproduction , Obstetrics and Herd health , Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , Ghent University , Salisburylaan 133 , 9820 Merelbeke , Belgium ; 2 Buffalo Dream Ranch , Klerksdorp , South Africa ; 3 WildlifeVet . nl , Amsterdam , The Netherlands ;
4
Institute for Conservation Research , San Diego Zoo , San Diego , USA ; Corresponding author : Cyrillus . Ververs @ ugent . be
Abstract : Since 2008 , poaching for their horn has put tremendous pressure on the population of African rhinoceroses . As such , dehorning both in wild and captive rhinoceroses is becoming the rule rather than the exception . In this study we included 2044 dehorning events over a time span of 62 months from a 1000 + herd of southern white rhinoceroses
( Ceratotherium simum simum ) with a mean age at dehorning of 4.26 ± 2.3 yr and a range of 2.5-5.4 yr .
To better understand how the growth of the horn was influenced by different factors including age , number of dehorning events and timing of dehorning , a multivariate analysis was performed . During dehorning the length of the back horn ( 50 mm ) was 34 % of the length of the front horn ( 145 mm ). The back horn had a circumference of 510 mm and a weight of 259 g which was only 86.4 % and 20.5 % respectively of the front horn measurements ( 590 mm ; 1263 g ). The cows showed a seasonal calving pattern which did not influence horn growth . In the total population , horn growth increased as the animals were older ( 2.10 ± 0.0620 g / day of age ). Males showed a higher growth rate of horn ( 891,1 ± 27.3 g / year ) compared to females ( 660,2 ± 27.1 g / year ), with a dehorning interval of 587 days . Dehorning on a regular basis might therefore assist in protecting white rhinoceroses , but only in combination with other anti-poaching measures .
Suspected copper deficiency associated myocardial degeneration “ Falling Disease ” in an adult roan antelope bull
https :// vimeo . com / 216843316 Last R D1 and McKernan S2
1 Vetdiagnostix Veterinary Pathology Services – PO Box 13624 , Cascades , 3202 . www . vetdiagnostix . com ; 2 Champion Wildlife , PO Box 186 , Rooiberg , 0050 . www . championwildlife . com
Background and Clinical Workup An uneventful translocation of an adult roan antelope bull was followed by the animal developing ataxia shortly after offloading . The ataxia soon progressed to recumbency and the animal could be handled without sedation . Clinical examination and blood work ( haematology and clinical chemistry
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