SEROLOGIC SURVEY AND RESULTS OF URINARY PCR TESTING FOR LEPTOSPIROSIS IN CAPTIVE BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOGS (CYNOMYS LUDOVICIANUS).

Leptospirosis is an important zoonotic disease occurring clinically and subclinically in humans and a wide variety of mammal species worldwide. Often, rodents and wild animals are identified as important reservoirs for the disease. Twenty-two captive black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) housed within a zoo were examined as part of a routine census and preventive medicine program. During examinations, blood and urine were collected to screen for exposure to, or infection with, leptospirosis. All animals were apparently healthy at the time of examination. Leptospira microscopic agglutination test identified 12 of 22 (54.5%) prairie dogs with antibody titers ≥1 : 100 against Leptospira interrogans serovar bratislava on initial serologic examination. All prairie dogs within this collection were serologically negative for L. interrogans serovars canicola, hardjo, icterohaemorrhagiae, and pomona and Leptospira kirschneri serovar grippotyphosa. Leptospira polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of urine was negative in all animals tested. This report describes evidence that captive prairie dogs may be exposed to leptospirosis, most likely from wild rodent reservoirs; however, serum titers are low, and lack of leptospiral DNA detected by PCR indicates that these captive animals are unlikely to be important reservoirs for the disease.

A test of alternative models for increased tissue nitrogen isotope ratios during fasting in hibernating arctic ground squirrels.

We describe two models explaining the increase in tissue nitrogen isotope ratios (δ(15)N) that occurs during fasting in animals. The catabolic model posits that protein breakdown selectively removes the lighter isotope of nitrogen ((14)N) from catabolized tissues, causing an increase in the proportion of heavy nitrogen isotope ((15)N). The anabolic model posits that protein synthesis during fasting results in elevated δ(15)N values, as the unreplaced loss of (14)N to urea results in a higher proportion of (15)N in plasma amino acids used for protein synthesis. We effected a range of lean mass loss in arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii) fasting during hibernation and then collected organ and muscle tissues for analysis of δ(15)N values. The catabolic model predicts increased δ(15)N values in both liver and muscle, as these tissues undergo significant catabolism during hibernation. The anabolic model predicts no change in muscle, but an increase in δ(15)N values in liver, which has high levels of protein synthesis during euthermic phases of hibernation. We found a significant increase in liver δ(15)N values and no change in muscle δ(15)N values with lean mass loss, which supports the anabolic model. Heart, small intestine and brown adipose tissue also showed an increase in δ(15)N values, indicating protein synthesis in these organ tissues during hibernation. Urine was 3.8% lighter than plasma, and both urine and plasma increased in δ(15)N values with lean mass loss. This study helps clarify the mechanisms causing δ(15)N change during nutritional stress, thus increasing its utility for physiological research and reconciling previously contradictory results.

Clinical pathology and sample collection of exotic small mammals.

The clinical pathology of some of the less common and newly emerging small mammal species is detailed in this article. The species covered here include the chinchilla, prairie dog, African hedgehog, and sugar glider. Venipuncture sites and sampling techniques are discussed in general and for each species. Detailed information on the hematology and serum biochemistry values of these animals is presented in numerous tables. Specific information is also provided for urinalysis, fecal analysis, dermatologic sampling, and cytology.

[Biologically active substances in the tissues of hibernating animals]. / K voprosu o biologicheski aktivnykh veshchestvakh v tkaniakh zimospiashchikh.

It was supposed that the transitional period from euthermia to hibernation rather than the period of winter hibernation is optimal for the secretion of biologically active substances in rodent tissues. This hypothesis was tested in experiment. The maximal O2 consumption suppression was noted in mice after I. P. Injection of blood plasma from suslik Citellus undulatus at the beginning of its entering into hibernation. Low-molecular peptide fraction appearance in C. undulatus blood before hibernation was revealed by electrophoresis in gel and autoradiography. But its traces disappear by the end of bout. The endogenic inhibitory factor's maximal influence in early bout was shown by experiments with TRH and neoklotorphin (NKT). I.P. injections of these substances to C. undulatus were ineffective in the beginning of entering into hibernation, but clearly caused awakening after hibernation, has started. KT, being a fragment of NKT, inhibited suslik's heart rate when the awakening was provoked in the middle, but not in the end of bout. Possible transformation of biologically active substances in winter-hibernating rodents tissues is discussed. The KT "inhibitor" and NKT "stimulator" are supposed to pertain to the special type of regulatory peptides, that manage the hibernation cycle. One of the ways of inactivation of endogenic "hibernation trigger" is its removal from the organism with urine. The urine, taken from suslik immediately after hibernation proved to produce the greatest hypothermic effect on mice, I.P. injected with it.

Blood and urinary values in the gray squirrel.

Uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, total serum protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and chloride concentrations in the blood plus pH, bilirubin, ketone, blood, protein and glucose levels in the urine were determined for gray squirrels captured in Jacksonville, Florida. Significant differences were not noted for any of these values when compared by the age or sex of the animals, by breeding or lactation status, by month of capture, or by habitat type. Depressed blood glucose and elevated blood urea nitrogen levels were observed in squirrels with shock syndrome.

Urea excretion in the hibernating Columbian ground squirrel (Spermophilus columbianus).

Hibernation was induced in Columbian ground squirrels by placing them in refrigerated cages equipped with urine-collection pans. On arousal, urine and blood were collected from each animal, which was then allowed to reenter hibernation. After several days the animal was sacrificed and bladder urine and another blood sample were taken. In addition, four active non-hibernating ground squirrels were placed in a cage at room temperature with neither food or water. Urine was collected at 9 and 26 hours and blood was collected at 0 and 26 hours. Although only seven of ten hibernating squirrels had a higher blood-urea level when sacrificed than during the previous arousal, the other three had very high levels in the arousal period and probably further excreted urea before entering hibernation. When total body urea was calculated on a body weight basis, all except one animal showed a greater level of urea during hibernation than in the previous arousal. During their period of dehydration, the non-hibernating summer squirrels showed a marked decrease in blood urea. The osmotic concentration of the urine from these squirrels was due less to urea than that excreted during arousal by hibernating squirrels. Thus, it appears that urea accumulates in the blood during hibernation and is excreted in the urine during arousal.