Iron deficiency anemia in captive Malayan tapir calves (Tapirus indicus)

Citation

Helmick K. 2009. Iron deficiency anemia in captive Malayan tapir calves (Tapirus indicus). In Ward A, Treiber K, Schmidt D, Coslik A, Maslanka M, Eds. Proceedings of the Eighth Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Tulsa, OK.

Abstract

Subclinical iron deficiency anemia was diagnosed in a captive neonatal female Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus) through blood samples obtained as part of an in-house training program for venipuncture. Routine blood testing performed at day 2 of age was within in-house and ISIS normal values for this species. Microcytic hypochromic anemia (HCT = 16 %; MCV = 38.4 fL; MCH = 13.3 ??g; MCHC = 34.6 g/dL) with thromboctyosis (platelets = 1018 * 103/?L) and poikilocytosis was diagnosed at day 38 of age. Iron dextran (10 mg/kg i.m.) was administered at day 40 and day 68 of age. Blood sampling at day 88 of age indicated improving hematocrit (32%) and low serum iron (45 ?g/dl; ISIS normal = 154 +/- 54 ?g/dl). Total iron binding capacity (TIBC; 438 ?g/dl), percent saturation (10%), ferritin (240 ng/ml), and haptoglobin (16 mg/dl) were also measured, but normal values are not established for this species. Repeat blood sampling through day 529 of age showed normalization of hematocrit and serum iron parameters between day 145 and day 173.

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