Comparison of potential dietary and urinary risk factors for ammonium urate nephrolithiasis in two bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) populations
Abstract
Dietary and urinary risk factors have been implicated in conditions favoring ammonium urate nephrolithiasis in managed dolphins compared with free-ranging dolphins. In this study, urine samples were collected from 16 dolphins (8 cases, 8 controls) from the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program for the purposes of assessing changes in urinary biomarkers after a large meal. Urinary biomarkers and nephrolithiasis presence were assessed opportunistically in 15 long-term resident free-ranging dolphins living in Sarasota Bay, Florida. Additionally, the total purine contents of fish commonly consumed by each dolphin population were measured to evaluate potential dietary risk factors. Populations were compared for total dietary purine composition, recently fed status, nephrolithiasis presence, and differences in urinary biochemical, acid-base, and physicochemical parameters via Wilcoxon rank sum analysis and least square means. Managed dolphins had higher urinary pH and ammonium ([Formula: see text]) in both pre- and postprandial conditions and higher urinary uric acid and saturation indices of NH4U in the postprandial condition compared with free-ranging dolphins ( P 4U stone formation. Future research should investigate fish type and feeding frequency, inhibitors and promoters, and alkalinizing therapy for reducing NH4U nephrolithiasis in dolphins.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2018
- Source ID
- 10.1152/ajprenal.00606.2017
Entities
People
- Amanda Ardente
- Carolina R. Le-bert
- Cynthia R. Smith
- Eric D. Jensen
- Jenny Meegan
- John Poindexter
- Khashayar Sakhaee
- Randall S Wells
- Stephanie Venn-Watson
Organizations
- Brookfield Zoo
- National Marine Mammal Foundation
- Office of Naval Research
- U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program
- University of Florida
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center