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1 September 2017 REFRACTOMETRIC URINE SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF FREE-LIVING EGYPTIAN FRUIT BATS (ROUSETTUS AEGYPTIACUS)
David Eshar, Roi Lapid, Maya Weinberg, Roni King, Lisa M. Pohlman
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Abstract

In both human and veterinary medicine, urine specific gravity (USG) is commonly measured by refractometry to indirectly reflect the osmolality of urine to thereby evaluate the kidney's ability to concentrate or dilute urine according to physiologic need and certain disease conditions. However, for accurate interpretation of the significance of any value, knowledge of the expected USG for the healthy species in question is required. It is generally believed that fruit bats, and Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) in particular, are unable to highly concentrate their urine. In this study, the USG was determined using a handheld urine refractometer in 43 free-living Egyptian fruit bats of both sexes. The calculated nonparametric 90% confidence interval for Egyptian fruit bats in this study was 1.006–1.050, with no association with capture site, sex, weight, or packed cell volume and total solids. Results suggest that free-living Egyptian fruit bats are able to highly concentrate their urine.

Copyright 2017 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
David Eshar, Roi Lapid, Maya Weinberg, Roni King, and Lisa M. Pohlman "REFRACTOMETRIC URINE SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF FREE-LIVING EGYPTIAN FRUIT BATS (ROUSETTUS AEGYPTIACUS)," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 48(3), 878-881, (1 September 2017). https://doi.org/10.1638/2016-0214.1
Accepted: 1 April 2017; Published: 1 September 2017
KEYWORDS
Egyptian fruit bat
refractometer
Rousettus aegyptiacus
urine specific gravity
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