Plasma protein electrophoresis has been shown to be an important tool when recognizing disease in various species. Plasma was harvested from twenty captive whitespotted bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) and gel electrophoresis was used to characterize the following protein fractions: total protein, prealbumin, albumin, α-1 globulin, α-2 globulin, β globulin, γ globulin, C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, and haptoglobin. The selected acute-phase proteins were assayed and reference intervals created for a population of captive whitespotted bamboo sharks, and then used to assess relationships between these protein concentration values, sex, and health status. There were significantly higher β fractions and total protein in females than in males. There did not appear to be a relationship between physical examination abnormalities of individual sharks and their plasma protein levels. Further research is needed to characterize the clinical importance of this response.

Meloxicam is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that has been used orally and intramuscularly in numerous avian species, but not studied to date, in African penguins ( Spheniscus demersus). The study describes the pharmacokinetic parameters of meloxicam after oral and intramuscular administration to African penguins. Several pilot studies were conducted initially where meloxicam (1, 0.5, and 0.25 mg/kg) was given intramuscularly to 4 birds, and orally (1 mg/kg) to 2 birds. Based on pilot study results, one group of 8 penguins was given meloxicam 0.5 mg/kg intramuscularly and one group of 8 penguins was given 1 mg/kg orally. Blood samples were collected at baseline and at 11 time intervals per group after administration of meloxicam. Meloxicam time to maximum plasma concentration (T), maximum concentration (C), and half-life (t) after intramuscular administration were 1.00 hour, 8.03 μg/mL, and 31.87 hours, respectively, while oral administration produced a T, C, and t of 12.00 hours, 10.84 μg/mL, and 28.59 hours, respectively. Based on plasma meloxicam concentrations found to be therapeutic in other bird species and humans, the recommended dosage and frequency for African penguins is 1 mg/kg orally every 48 hours and 0.5 mg/kg intramuscularly every 24 hours. Further studies are needed to determine the multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in African penguins.

A description of bioencapsulation of metronidazole in adult brine shrimp (Artemia) for 2.5 g/L, 5 g/L, and 10 g/L treatment baths is presented. Metronidazole was detected in adult brine shrimp tissue after enrichment periods of 15 min, 30 min, 1 hr, 2 hr, 4 hr, 8 hr, 12 hr, and 24 hr. The assays were performed using high performance liquid chromatography. There was a positive relationship in both dose and time. When evaluating percent uptake, all three baths demonstrated a similar pattern. All three bath concentrations had a high initial concentration that fell at 30 min and slowly began to increase through the end of the study. Survival of shrimp was not affected by bath concentration but decreased over time in all treatment baths comparatively. It can be concluded that metronidazole can be successfully bioencapsulated in adult Artemia.

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