title: Iron deficiency anemia in captive āalayan tapir calves (Tapirus indicus).
abstract: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) was diagnosed in two captive female neonatal Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus) at separate institutions. Both calves had unremarkable exams and normal blood parameters within the first 3 days of life. Microcytic hypochromic anemia (hematocrit, HCT= 20%; mean corpuscular volume, MCV = 32.8 fl; mean corpuscular hemoglobin, MCH = 10.5 pg) was diagnosed at day 66 of age in calf EPZ-1. Iron dextran (10 mg/kg i.m.) was administered at day 71. A normal HCT (33%) with microcytosis and hypochromasia (MCV = 33.0 fl; MCH = 11.7 pg) was identified at day 80. No further concerns were noted through 610 days of age. Microcytic hypochromic anemia (HCT = 16%; MCV = 38.4 fl; MCH = 13.3 pg; mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, MCHC= 34.6 g/dl) with thrombocytosis (platelets= 1018 10(3)/UL) and poikilocytosis was diagnosed at day 38 of age in calf WPZ-1 by samples obtained through operant conditioning. Iron dextran (10 mg/kg i.m.) was administered at day 40 and day 68. Improving hematocrit (32%) and low serum iron (45 micorg/dl) was identified at day 88; total iron binding capacity (TIBC; 438 microg/dl) and percentage saturation (10%) were also measured. No further concerns were noted through day 529 of age. Retrospective evaluation identified presumptive IDA in two male siblings of calf WPZ-1. One calf died at day 40 (iron = 40 microg/dl; TIBC = 482 microg/dl; percentage saturation = 4%) and another at day 72 (HCT = 11%; iron = 26 microg/dl; TIBC = 470 microg/dl; percentage saturation = 6%). Death in both calves was attributed to disseminated intravascular coagulation and bacterial septicemia. IDA can develop in Malayan tapirs between day 38 and day 72 of age and may be a significant precursor to bacterial septicemia and death in neonatal Malayan tapirs.
authors.affiliation: Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA 98103, USA. kelly.helmick@zoo.org
authors.forename: Kelly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Helmick
authors.forename: Victoria E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Milne
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D007505:Iron-Dextran Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010527:Perissodactyla
chemical_list: D007505:Iron-Dextran Complex; D007501:Iron