engleski

Monitoring health status in a group of captive nutrias (Myocastor coypus)

Nutria (Myocastor coypus) is a semiaquatic omnivorous mammal. It belongs to the order Rodentia and is the only member of the family Myocastoridae. This species is native in the South America but has been introduced to the North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Owing to the increasing population number and to the fact that these animals cause damage to water control structures, crops, and marsh systems, they are considered pests and in some habitats are subjected to eradication measures. Nutrias have been introduced to Croatia, especially in the area of Danube basin where they make economic damage and significantly affect water ecosystems. To learn more about the health status of captive animals and their potential to spread diseases, we clinically examined and swabbed 15 captive nutrias of different age and gender from the Zagreb Zoo. After sedation prior to orchiectomy, animals were weighted and clinically examined, with a special attention to oral cavity inspection. Ear swabs were taken for standard microbiology and external parasite detection, nostrils for Mycoplasma spp., and anal swabs for standard microbiology. Animals were then microchipped and males were orchiectomized. The examination revealed no changes from normal in most of animals. Two animals were anorexic, with probable bite wounds. In two animals with excessive incisor growth teeth were corrected. All of the animals were negative to Mycoplasma spp., Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter spp. The ears of all animals tested negative to Malassezia spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosae and ear mites. The most frequent bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus sciuri from ear and Escherichia coli from anal swabs. These results show that captive nutrias are not significant source of diseases, and that good housing conditions allow keeping them in a good and healthy condition.

Nutria, health status, clinical examination

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