<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Chronic renal failure is one of the leading causes of death in African lions, cheetahs, and tigers. Conventional methods to measure renal dysfunction include measuring serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) measurement is a reliable predictor of renal dysfunction in the domestic cat because SDMA serum levels increase early when the kidneys are damaged. Serum SDMA levels were assessed and correlated with creatinine as well as BUN from healthy captive Bengal tigers and lions at the Everland Zoo in Korea. Serum SDMA concentrations were increasingly associated with increased age in lions. However, SDMA concentrations were higher in some young Bengal tigers than in older ones, which may allow for earlier renal dysfunction detection in these young cats than would be BUN and creatinine alone. In Bengal tigers, the correlation between the SDMA and BUN was slightly higher than that between SDMA and creatinine. In lions, SDMA correlated better with creatinine than with BUN concentration. These results show that serum SDMA concentration can be used as a biomarker for age-associated renal dysfunction. SDMA measurement may be an essential preventive management method in zoos.</p>
</abstract>

Chronic renal failure is one of the leading causes of death in African lions, cheetahs, and tigers. Conventional methods to measure renal dysfunction include measuring serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) measurement is a reliable predictor of renal dysfunction in the domestic cat because SDMA serum levels increase early when the kidneys are damaged. Serum SDMA levels were assessed and correlated with creatinine as well as BUN from healthy captive Bengal tigers and lions at the Everland Zoo in Korea. Serum SDMA concentrations were increasingly associated with increased age in lions. However, SDMA concentrations were higher in some young Bengal tigers than in older ones, which may allow for earlier renal dysfunction detection in these young cats than would be BUN and creatinine alone. In Bengal tigers, the correlation between the SDMA and BUN was slightly higher than that between SDMA and creatinine. In lions, SDMA correlated better with creatinine than with BUN concentration. These results show that serum SDMA concentration can be used as a biomarker for age-associated renal dysfunction. SDMA measurement may be an essential preventive management method in zoos.

Symmetric Dimethylarginine is a Promising Biomarker for the Early Detection of Age-Related Kidney Dysfunction in Zoo Felids

Acta Veterinaria

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Chronic renal failure is one of the leading causes of death in African lions, cheetahs, and tigers. Conventional methods to measure renal dysfunction include...

Symmetric Dimethylarginine is a Promising Biomarker for the Early Detection of Age-Related Kidney Dysfunction in Zoo Felids

Publié en ligne: 02 oct. 2022

Pages: 408 - 418

Reçu: 28 mars 2022

Accepté: 09 août 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acve-2022-0033

Mots clés
African lion, Bengal tiger, Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA)

© 2022 Soong-Hee Youn et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Symmetric Dimethylarginine is a Promising Biomarker for the Early Detection of Age-Related Kidney Dysfunction in Zoo Felids

Publié en ligne: 02 oct. 2022

Pages: 408 - 418

Reçu: 28 mars 2022

Accepté: 09 août 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acve-2022-0033

Mots clésAfrican lion, Bengal tiger, Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA)

© 2022 Soong-Hee Youn et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
African lion, Bengal tiger, Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA)