title: The effects of a probiotic on blood urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations in large felids.
abstract: Chronic kidney disease is a common finding in older captive exotic felids. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a probiotic to reduce blood urea nitrogen and creatinine in large felids. Fifteen adult, large felids (6 tigers [Panthera tigris], 5 lions [Panthera leo], 3 cougars [Puma concolor], and 1 leopard [Panthera pardus]) were administered a probiotic twice daily after a baseline complete blood cell count and plasma chemistry panel was obtained. Plasma chemistry values were rechecked at 2 mo (n = 14) and 6 mo (n = 9). There was no significant change in blood urea nitrogen over time; however, there was a significant change in creatinine over time (P = 0.04). Creatinine concentration decreased significantly between 2 and 6 mo (P = 0.02), and a decrease was seen between 0 and 6 mo, but this change was not significant (P = 0.05). There was no significant difference noted for creatinine concentration between 0 and 2 mo (P = 0.35). This probiotic may be helpful in large felids with elevated creatinine concentrations because of chronic kidney disease; however, further studies are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA. smccain@birminghamzoo.com
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCain
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Allender
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schumacher
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ramsay
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D045989:Felidae / Q000097:blood*; D019936:Probiotics
chemical_list: D003404:Creatinine