Combination therapy for footpad lesions in a captive Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris).

A captive adult male Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) was treated for chronic footpad ulcers associated with pacing on concrete cage surfaces. Combination therapy of oral fluoxetine and acepromazine administration to diminate pacing behavior, daily application of moisturizing ointment, and oral vitamin E supplementation resulted in complete resolution of all footpad lesions. Subsequent clinical episodes completely resolved with similar treatments.     

Meloxicam and surgical denervation of the coxofemoral joint for the treatment of degenerative osteoarthritis in a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris).

An adult male white Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) with pronounced atrophy of the pelvic musculature was diagnosed with degenerative osteoarthritis of the coxofemoral joints. Initial management with the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam and a semisynthetic sodium pentosan polysulfate resulted in clinical improvement and radiographic stabilization of the arthritic condition over several months. However, because pain was still evident, bilateral denervation of the coxofemoral joints was performed, successfully ameliorating the signs of osteoarthritic pain in the tiger. Meloxicam has shown good clinical efficacy for the treatment of osteoarthritis and other painful conditions in large felids. Coxofemoral joint denervation offers many advantages for the treatment of osteoarthritis in exotic carnivore species, and should be considered a viable treatment modality.     

Caudal cervical disc protrusion in a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris).

A young adult male white Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) presented with hindlimb ataxia. Cervical and lumbar myelography revealed a compressive lesion of the cord at C(6-7). Corticosteroid therapy and confinement failed to provide lasting remission of signs. A modified, inverted cone ventral slot decompression was used to remove the fibrous material causing cord compression at C(6-7). Temporary Horner's syndrome and laryngeal paresis developed postsurgically because of excessive tissue retraction. The animal recovered normal ambulatory function 6 wk after surgery.     

A thymic carcinoid in a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris).

An 18-yr-old Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) presented with acute onset hind limb paresis. Radiographic and ultrasonographic imaging revealed a caudal abdominal aortic thrombus and a cranial mediastinal mass. Necropsy confirmed aortic thrombosis. Necrotizing enteritis and multifocal renal thrombosis were also noted. The cranial mediastinum contained a bilobed mass that histologically and ultrastructurally was consistent with a carcinoid.     

Pentobarbital poisoning in Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae).

Three Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) at the Heidelberg Zoo in Germany presented with severe neurologic signs. Physical examination and diagnostic tests did not reveal a definitive diagnosis. Two days after initial presenting signs, all of the animals appeared clinically normal. An investigation into this outbreak revealed that all animals received horse meat on the evening before the incident. A toxicologic examination was initiated and serum analysis of the affected female tiger cub and the horse meat revealed contamination with pentobarbital.     

笼养东北虎的繁殖研究

对济南动物园笼养的1雄2雌东北虎2006和2007年的繁殖情况进行了研究。从笼养东北虎的饲养环境、发情交配、妊娠分娩、自然育幼、人工育幼及各阶段存在的问题,对笼养东北虎的繁殖进行了详细分析,同时提出了应采取的相应手段和措施,对笼养的繁殖和育幼提供参考和借鉴。     

Birth of Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) cubs after transvaginal artificial insemination.

A captive 9-yr-old female Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) at the Lisbon Zoo was treated with equine chorionic gonadotropin followed 80 hr later by human chorionic gonadotropin to stimulate follicular development and ovulation, respectively. Forty-one hours after the second hormone administration, the tiger was subjected to transvaginal artificial insemination with diluted fresh semen containing 500 x 10(6) motile spermatozoa obtained from an 8-yr-old male Siberian tiger via electroejaculation. After anesthesia, the female tiger was placed in an inclined position with the hind limbs elevated during and after the insemination and was maintained in this position for 15 min to minimize semen reflux. An anesthetic reversal agent was then administered. After a 103-day gestation, the female gave birth to three apparently healthy cubs that survived 24-48 hr. These results demonstrate that transvaginal artificial insemination can be successfully performed in the Siberian tiger to produce full-term offspring.     

Disseminated histoplasmosis in a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris)

Disseminated infection with Histoplasma capsulatum was diagnosed in a 7-yr-old female Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris). Clinical signs were nonspecific with the exception of brief periods of tachypnea for 5 days prior to death. H. capsulatum organisms were found in the lungs, tracheobronchial lymph nodes, and liver. Diagnosis was confirmed by tracheal wash, urine H. capsulatum enzyme immunoassay, and necropsy results. This report represents the first published account of disseminated histoplasmosis in a tiger.     

Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy in a Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae).

An adult, captive-born Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) had been ataxic for approximately 3 mo and had been self-mutilating after an acute onset of unilateral paresis and Homer's syndrome. Histologic lesions in the cervical spinal cord were consistent with fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCEM), and they included the presence of cartilaginous occlusion of spinal blood vessels. This is the first reported case of FCEM in a large felid and specifically a Sumatran tiger.     

圈养华南虎血常规正常参考值的初步研究

以建立华南虎血液血常规指标的正常参考值范围为目的,选取国内各动物园和繁育基地饲养的健康华南虎采集血液样本作为研究对象,采用全自动(兽用)血常规分析仪的电阻抗法和射频技术测定血常规指标[白细胞(WBC)、红细胞(RBC)、血红蛋白(HGB)、血小板(PLT)等]。华南虎血液血常规指标的正常参考值范围(95%概率):WBC(5.45—18.92)10^9/L、RBC(5.95—10.21)10^12/L、HGB(102—187)g/L、PLT(24—621)10^9/L等,不同性别间华南虎血常规各项指标差异不显著(P>0.05),与其他虎亚种相关血常规指标存在差异。华南虎血常规指标正常参考值范围不同于其他虎亚种,建立华南虎血常规指标正常值对华南虎的饲养管理、疾病诊治预防和保育繁殖研究工作很有必要。     

Paresis secondary to an extradural hematoma in a Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae).

A 15-yr-old female Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) was presented to the Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at Oklahoma State University with a 3-wk history of progressive hind limb weakness. Neurologic evaluation was limited to review of videotape that demonstrated weakness and ataxia with conscious proprioceptive deficits of the tiger's pelvic limbs. Spinal radiography demonstrated disc space narrowing, and myelography demonstrated a large extradural compressive lesion at the level of L2-3. Computed tomography did not reveal bone involvement. Surgery was performed to decompress the spinal cord and obtain a definitive diagnosis. A right hemilaminectomy was performed after a dorsal approach to the lumbar spine. Histologic examination of the mass revealed a consolidated extradural spinal hematoma, presumed to be secondary to intervertebral disc herniation. Despite incomplete resection of the mass and plastic deformation of the spinal cord, the tiger returned to normal ambulation within 3 wk of surgical decompression.     

Continuous lumbar hemilaminectomy for intervertebral disc disease in an Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)

A 13-yr-old Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) was presented for an acute onset of paraplegia. Spinal imaging that included plain radiographs, myelography, and computed tomography performed under general anesthesia revealed lateralized spinal cord compression at the intervertebral disc space L4-5 caused by intervertebral disc extrusion. This extrusion was accompanied by an extensive epidural hemorrhage from L3 to L6. Therefore, a continuous hemilaminectomy from L3 to L6 was performed, resulting in complete decompression of the spinal cord. The tiger was ambulatory again 10 days after the surgery. This case suggests that the potential benefit of complete spinal cord decompression may outweigh the risk of causing clinically significant spinal instability after extensive decompression.     

Pericardial mesothelioma in a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris).

A 17-year-old Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) presented with dyspnea and tachypnea. Radiographs revealed severe pleural and pericardial effusion, but no obvious mass. During attempts to remove the fluid under anesthesia, the cat developed cardiac tamponade and died. At necropsy, a nodular mass was found at the heart base and was identified as a pericardial mesothelioma. This is the first report of this tumor in any large cat.     

白化孟加拉虎的人工育幼

对1窝4只白化孟加拉虎从1日龄到70日龄的人工育幼全过程进行了详细记述,对代乳犬和幼虎的饲养,幼虎的脐部护理,视觉器官发育、听觉器官发育、牙齿发育、行为观察、体重增长情况、体长和尾长增长情况、室温判定等进行了全面记述和分析讨论。结果显示：幼虎4—6日龄脐带脱落,8～10日龄眼睛睁开,12～16日龄具有防御意识,50日龄能够看15～20m,65日龄30颗牙齿基本长出。随着日龄增加,幼虎体重、体长、尾长均呈现线性增长,且在1月龄内增长速度受初生重影响很大。     

Nasopharyngeal myxosarcoma in a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris).

An 18- to 25-yr-old intact female Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) was diagnosed antemortem and postmortem with nasopharyngeal myxosarcoma metastatic to the lung, chronic lymphoplasmacytic otitis media, and lymphoplasmacytic and eosinophilic stomatitis. Myxosarcomas are rare in domestic animals and seldom metastasize; this tumor has not been previously reported in an exotic felid. Computed tomography of the skull was used during the diagnoses.     

Chordoma of the thoracic vertebrae in a Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)

A 19-year-old female Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) was presented with hind limb weakness, ataxia and respiratory distress. Computed tomography revealed a mass between the left side of the T7 vertebra and the base of the left 7th rib. The tiger then died, and necropsy was performed. Grossly, the vertebral mass was 6 × 5.7 × 3 cm, and invaded the adjacent vertebral bone and compressed the T7 spinal cord. Histologically, the mass was composed of large, clear, vacuolated and polygonal cells with osteochondral matrix. Cellular and nuclear atypia were moderate. The vacuolated cells stained positively for cytokeratin and vimentin and negatively for S-100. Based on these findings, the present case was diagnosed as a vertebral chordoma; the first report in a tiger.     

Wound management in a juvenile tiger (Panthera tigris) with vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C. Therapy).

A 6-wk-old tiger (Panthera tigris) was evaluated for severe skin lacerations from an adult tiger attack. A caudal superficial epigastric skin flap was surgically placed to cover a defect that could not be closed over the hind limb; however, the skin flap did not adhere well to the granulation tissue over a period of 1 mo. The granulation bed matured and deteriorated. A subatmospheric pressure technique (vacuum-assisted closure, V.A.C. Therapy, Kinetic Concepts Inc., San Antonio, Texas 78219, USA) was utilized, and flap adherence occurred after 4 wk. This technique should be considered when dealing with severe or chronic wounds in tractable animals.     

Klinefelter syndrome (39 XXY) in an adult Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica).

Fibroblast cultures of a skin biopsy from an adult intact male Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) revealed an abnormal standard and G-banded karyotype diploid chromosome number of 2n = 39 XXY due to an extra sex chromosome as opposed to the expected 2n = 38 XY. The tiger was euthanatized 1 yr later due to acute multifocal intervertebral disc disease. Histopathology of the reproductive tract demonstrated a paucity of seminiferous tubules and these were devoid of spermatagonia. An increase in fibrous connective tissue was noted in sections of the prostate and epididymis, and expansion of the fibrous interstitium was observed in the testes.     

初配东北虎的繁殖

通过对一对初配东北虎繁殖全过程的总结，即对母虎发情行为、公母虎合笼交配、妊娠判定、产前准备、产后护理、仔虎的生长发育情况的详细观察与分析，为初配东北虎的繁殖提供了有益的借鉴。     

Persistent right aortic arch and aberrant left subclavian artery in a white Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris).

A 3-mo-old male white Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) presented with the chief complaint of regurgitation of solid food since weaning at 2 mo of age. Compared with its littermates, the tiger was in poor body condition and weighed only 10.3 kg when its littermates were estimated at 20-25 kg. Thoracic radiographs showed a megaesophagus cranial to the heart base. A contrast esophagram more clearly outlined the megaesophagus, and fluoroscopy demonstrated normal motility of the caudal esophagus. Endoscopic examination revealed a structure coursing dorsally from right to left over the esophagus and a constrictive band on the left of the esophagus at the heart base. Nonselective angiography confirmed the presence of a persistent right aortic arch, as well as an aberrant left subclavian artery. A left fourth intercostal thoracotomy was performed, and the ligamentum arteriosum was double ligated and divided. The left subclavian artery did not cause significant compromise of the esophagus and was not manipulated at surgery. The tiger recovered well from anesthesia and surgery. Solid food was slowly introduced over a 2-mo period without any regurgitation. The cub gained weight rapidly after surgery.