OKAPI (Okapia johnstoni) AND GLUCOSURIA

摘要

Urinalysis of 26 okapis in four European zoos revealed glucosuria in 58%. Mainly animals from the age of four onwards are glucosuric without any difference in urinary specific gravity between non-glucosuric and glucosuric animals. Diabetes mellitus isnot the cause and neither is Fanconi syndrome, as animals have normal values for urinary specific gravity, phosphatemia and kalemia and do not show any clinical symptoms. Benign renal disease, which is a genetic disease, seems very unlikely, as there ispractically no inbreeding in the zoo population. Retrospective analysis of longevity of animals, born and raised semi-wild in the Station of Epulu (Democratic Republic of Congo) with a natural diet restricted to leaves only, and then imported into SSP (Species Survival Plan) and EEP (European Endangered Species Programme) institutions, revealed a significant difference between animals that had been living in Epulu for only their first 2 yr and those that stayed longer in Epulu. Considering the importance of diet in the anatomic and physiologic development of the young ruminant stomach, we changed our previous diet (i.e., fruit, vegetables, concentrates, lucerne hay) to a diet with less easily digestible carbohydrates (i.e., no fruit, addition of unmolassed beet pulp and leaves). Urinary glucose/creatinine ratio decreased over time in two adult females. More analyses of the natural diet (leaves) are necessary to adjust the diet of our okapis even more.