Lsm. Diniz et al., CLINICAL DISORDERS OBSERVED IN ANTEATERS (MYRMECOPHAGIDAE, EDENTATA) IN CAPTIVITY, Veterinary research communications, 19(5), 1995, pp. 409-415
The major health problems found in 103 captive lesser anteaters (Taman
dua tetradactyla) and giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), famil
y Myrmecophagidae, are presented and correlated with management. The m
ost common of 200 recorded clinical disorders involved the digestive s
ystem (26%), nutritional deficiency (20%), injury (15.5%), respiratory
system (10%), skin (7%) and circulatory system (4.5%), but 13% of the
cases were inconclusive. Parasites were identified in 48.5% of faecal
samples, mainly the eggs of nematodes (40%), of which the commonest w
ere Trichuris spp (28%) and Strongyloides spp (11%); protozoa (16%), o
f which the commonest were Eimeria spp (10%), Entamoeba spp (5%) and G
iardia spp (1%); and cestodes (8%) and acanthocephalids (1%). Bacteria
cultured from the various materials included Salmonella enteritidis,
S. cholerasuis, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Streptococcu
s spp and Staphylococcus spp. The ectoparasites found were Amblyomma s
pp and Otodectis spp (Arthropoda, Acaridae).