The Amount of Food Ingested and Its Impact on the Level of Uric Acid in the Blood Plasma of Snakes
In mammals, lipemic blood from sampling too soon after an animal feeds can have substantial effects on biochemical values. Plasma biochemical values in reptiles may be affected by species, age, season, and nutritional state. However, fasting status is not routinely considered when sampling reptile b...
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| author | Miloš Halán Lucia Kottferová Karol Račka Anthony Lam |
| author_facet | Miloš Halán Lucia Kottferová Karol Račka Anthony Lam |
| author_sort | Miloš Halán |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In mammals, lipemic blood from sampling too soon after an animal feeds can have substantial effects on biochemical values. Plasma biochemical values in reptiles may be affected by species, age, season, and nutritional state. However, fasting status is not routinely considered when sampling reptile blood. Assessing uric acid levels in snakes is an important part of the diagnosis of the renal disease. However, the use of this biochemical indicator is undervalued without knowledge of natural uric acid fluctuations and the lack of differentiation from pathological changes. This study aimed to look at the relationship between snake feeding and uric acid concentrations. The investigation aims to better understand the feed-induced changes that occur and render the analysis of this biochemical parameter a more potent diagnostic tool. The study used ten snakes belonging to seven species, and basal uric acid values were evaluated by blood biochemical analysis before feeding. The snakes were fed in two rounds, with successive blood sampling and monitoring of uric acid changes carried out for each. The snakes were fed approximately 50% more with the second round of feeding to investigate the relationship between food supply and uric acid level. The findings show feeding led to substantial elevations in uric acid values, whereby postprandial concentrations were significantly elevated for up to 8 days after feeding. The findings show the significant changes in uric acid levels that occur after feeding and the similarities between postprandial rises in uric acid and those reported in snakes with renal disease. To minimize misdiagnosis and differentiate transient postprandial hyperuricemia from pathological increases, it is recommended that sufficient anamnestic data on time since the last feeding be collected, as well as repeated samples following weeks of fasting. This knowledge is crucial because the amount of feed in terms of intensity and volume has a significant effect on uric acid levels in the blood of snakes. |
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| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj.art-d3680f21e1b44d4a9c287823653479f42023-11-24T03:24:37ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152022-10-011221295910.3390/ani12212959The Amount of Food Ingested and Its Impact on the Level of Uric Acid in the Blood Plasma of SnakesMiloš Halán0Lucia Kottferová1Karol Račka2Anthony Lam3Department of Epizootiology, Parasitology and Protection of One Health, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 68/73, 041 81 Košice, SlovakiaClinic of Birds, Exotic and Free Living Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komenského 68/73, 041 81 Košice, SlovakiaDepartment of Epizootiology, Parasitology and Protection of One Health, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 68/73, 041 81 Košice, SlovakiaCompanion Care Vets-Folkestone, Folkestone CT19 5SY, UKIn mammals, lipemic blood from sampling too soon after an animal feeds can have substantial effects on biochemical values. Plasma biochemical values in reptiles may be affected by species, age, season, and nutritional state. However, fasting status is not routinely considered when sampling reptile blood. Assessing uric acid levels in snakes is an important part of the diagnosis of the renal disease. However, the use of this biochemical indicator is undervalued without knowledge of natural uric acid fluctuations and the lack of differentiation from pathological changes. This study aimed to look at the relationship between snake feeding and uric acid concentrations. The investigation aims to better understand the feed-induced changes that occur and render the analysis of this biochemical parameter a more potent diagnostic tool. The study used ten snakes belonging to seven species, and basal uric acid values were evaluated by blood biochemical analysis before feeding. The snakes were fed in two rounds, with successive blood sampling and monitoring of uric acid changes carried out for each. The snakes were fed approximately 50% more with the second round of feeding to investigate the relationship between food supply and uric acid level. The findings show feeding led to substantial elevations in uric acid values, whereby postprandial concentrations were significantly elevated for up to 8 days after feeding. The findings show the significant changes in uric acid levels that occur after feeding and the similarities between postprandial rises in uric acid and those reported in snakes with renal disease. To minimize misdiagnosis and differentiate transient postprandial hyperuricemia from pathological increases, it is recommended that sufficient anamnestic data on time since the last feeding be collected, as well as repeated samples following weeks of fasting. This knowledge is crucial because the amount of feed in terms of intensity and volume has a significant effect on uric acid levels in the blood of snakes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/21/2959snakesfeedinguric acid |
| spellingShingle | Miloš Halán Lucia Kottferová Karol Račka Anthony Lam The Amount of Food Ingested and Its Impact on the Level of Uric Acid in the Blood Plasma of Snakes Animals snakes feeding uric acid |
| title | The Amount of Food Ingested and Its Impact on the Level of Uric Acid in the Blood Plasma of Snakes |
| title_full | The Amount of Food Ingested and Its Impact on the Level of Uric Acid in the Blood Plasma of Snakes |
| title_fullStr | The Amount of Food Ingested and Its Impact on the Level of Uric Acid in the Blood Plasma of Snakes |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Amount of Food Ingested and Its Impact on the Level of Uric Acid in the Blood Plasma of Snakes |
| title_short | The Amount of Food Ingested and Its Impact on the Level of Uric Acid in the Blood Plasma of Snakes |
| title_sort | amount of food ingested and its impact on the level of uric acid in the blood plasma of snakes |
| topic | snakes feeding uric acid |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/21/2959 |
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