Exploration of serum cardiac troponin I as a biomarker of cardiomyopathy in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis)

Abstract

S outhern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) are a federally listed threatened species that is intensively managed to help ensure population recovery. A study 1 found that cardiomyopathy was a primary or contributing cause of death in 41% (229/552) of free-ranging otters that underwent necropsy from 1998 to 2012. This prevalent condition is often identified during postmortem examination, and antemortem diagnosis remains challenging, owing in part to a lack of overt clinical signs in the early to mid stages of cardiomyopathy and a scarcity of analytic tools. The southern sea otter research, rescue, and rehabilitation community was in a unique position Exploration of serum cardiac troponin I as a biomarker of cardiomyopathy in southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) Megan E. Moriarty dvm, mpvm, phd Melissa A. Miller dvm, phd