Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536, USA.
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536, USA,
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2021 Apr;52(1):57-66. doi: 10.1638/2019-0021.
This retrospective case series describes the clinicopathologic findings, diagnoses, treatment, and outcomes of 10 hand-reared newborn giraffe () calves admitted to a university teaching hospital for intensive care. Ten calves (five males, five females; nine reticulated giraffes [], one Masai giraffe []), were admitted under 2 days of age. Inadequate transfer of passive immunity was suspected in 5 of 10 calves based on assessment of serum total solids and globulin values. These calves were treated with oral frozen bovine colostrum and/or intravenous hyperimmune bovine plasma. Diarrhea occurred in 6 of 10 calves and was managed with supportive care, fecal microbiota transplantation, and limiting milk intake (offering 10% body weight [BW] in milk per day, while feeding <2 L per meal at 2- to 4-hr intervals). Less common diagnoses included pneumonia ( = 3) and mycoplasma-associated septic arthritis ( = 1). Eight calves received systemic antimicrobial therapy. Hyperlactatemia (lactate > 5 mmol/L; = 8) and hypercreatininemia (creatinine > 2.0 mg/dl, = 7) were the most common presenting laboratory abnormalities, which resolved with intravenous fluid therapy. All neonatal giraffes survived to discharge after a median hospitalization of 9.5 days (range, 5-37 days) and were successfully hand-reared at their place of birth. In conclusion, neonatal giraffe calves can be intensively managed in a hospital environment. Diarrhea was a common clinical problem and can be related to feeding regimens. Intravenous hyperimmune bovine plasma infusion was well tolerated to manage failure of transfer of passive immunity in calves with inadequate colostrum administration. The current study supports that compromised neonatal giraffe calves may carry an excellent prognosis after early, intensive intervention.
本回顾性病例系列描述了 10 只被人工饲养的新生长颈鹿（）犊牛因重症监护而入住一所大学教学医院的临床病理发现、诊断、治疗和转归。10 只犊牛（5 雄，5 雌；9 只网纹长颈鹿 []，1 只马赛长颈鹿 []）在出生后 2 天内入院。基于血清总固体和球蛋白值的评估，10 只犊牛中有 5 只疑似被动免疫转移不足，这些犊牛接受了口服冷冻牛初乳和/或静脉内高免疫牛血浆治疗。10 只犊牛中有 6 只发生腹泻，通过支持性护理、粪便微生物群移植和限制牛奶摄入量（每天提供 10%体重[BW]的牛奶，同时每餐喂食 <2 L，每 2-4 小时喂食一次）进行治疗。较不常见的诊断包括肺炎（=3）和支原体相关性败血性关节炎（=1）。8 只犊牛接受了全身抗菌治疗。高乳酸血症（乳酸>5 mmol/L；=8）和高肌酐血症（肌酐>2.0 mg/dl，=7）是最常见的初始实验室异常，通过静脉补液治疗得到解决。所有新生长颈鹿在中位住院时间 9.5 天（5-37 天）后存活出院，并在出生地成功被人工饲养。总之，新生长颈鹿犊牛可以在医院环境中进行强化管理。腹泻是一个常见的临床问题，可能与喂养方案有关。静脉内高免疫牛血浆输注耐受性良好，可用于治疗因初乳给予不足而导致的被动免疫转移不足的犊牛。本研究支持早期、强化干预后，情况较差的新生长颈鹿犊牛可能具有极好的预后。
