Acromegaly in a Hog Badger (Arctonyx collaris)

Abstract

Our understanding of pathological conditions is usually centered on human and domesticated species. Thus, a vast array of pathologies within vertebrates are unknown, especially those that occur in exotics and those that lack external characters, such as conditions that affect the skeleton. Exotics represent a majority of the vertebrates housed in zoos and other wildlife centers, and in the larger picture of conservation, represent the best way to determine potential health threats and cures for endangered and threatened species in the wild. Here we describe a case of acromegaly, a rare condition of excess growth hormone, in a hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) based on Computed Tomography (CT). This is the first documented occurrence of this condition in non-human or non-domesticated mammals, and the first occurrence within Mustelidae. The recognition of this rare condition within a badger suggests that acromegaly may be more widespread within mammals than previously thought, and has implications for diagnosis of other exotics within zoos.