Illinois Zoological and Aquatic Animal Residency Program, Urbana, Illinois 61802, USA,
Chicagoland Veterinary Cardiology, Mobile Practice, Illinois 60515, USA.
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2019 Sep;50(3):604-610. doi: 10.1638/2018-0224.
Relatively little is known about pangolin care and physiology, and it has become increasingly important to have a better understanding of normal health parameters for evaluation of free-ranging, rehabilitating, and managed populations. Echocardiograms were performed on six African white-bellied pangolins () under professional care at a single institution. Because of the propensity of pangolins to roll up with only thick keratinized scales exposed, the pangolins were anesthetized with either isoflurane or sevoflurane. All echocardiograms were performed and evaluated by a board-certified cardiologist. None of the pangolins had any evidence of prior cardiac disease. All standard measurements were obtained. Four pangolins (66.7%) had trace to mild mitral regurgitation, six (100%) had trace to mild tricuspid regurgitation, and two (33.3%) had trace to mild pulmonic regurgitation. All examinations were determined to be normal, with no evidence of valvular structural abnormalities, cardiac dysfunction, chamber enlargement, or cardiac hypertrophy. This report broadens understanding of normal echocardiogram parameters in pangolin species and contributes techniques and baseline data for veterinarians caring for these vulnerable populations.
关于穿山甲的护理和生理学，人们知之甚少，因此，为了更好地了解自由放养、康复和管理种群的正常健康参数，了解这些知识变得越来越重要。在一家机构的专业护理下，对六只非洲白腹穿山甲（）进行了超声心动图检查。由于穿山甲有蜷缩成只有厚厚的角质鳞片暴露在外的倾向，因此，穿山甲用异氟烷或七氟烷麻醉。所有的超声心动图都是由一名有资质的心脏病专家进行和评估的。没有穿山甲有任何先前心脏病的证据。所有的标准测量都得到了。四只穿山甲（66.7%）有微量至轻度二尖瓣反流，六只（100%）有微量至轻度三尖瓣反流，两只（33.3%）有微量至轻度肺动脉瓣反流。所有的检查都被认为是正常的，没有瓣膜结构异常、心功能障碍、腔室扩大或心肌肥厚的证据。本报告扩大了对穿山甲物种正常超声心动图参数的理解，并为兽医护理这些脆弱种群提供了技术和基线数据。
