Soft Tissue Mineralization in Captive 2-Toed Sloths

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Pathology
• Comparative Pathology

Background:

• Soft tissue mineralization is a pathological process observed in various species.
• Two-toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus and Choloepus hoffmanni) are unique mammals with limited documented health studies.
• Understanding mineralization in captive wildlife is crucial for welfare and conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of soft tissue mineralization in captive two-toed sloths.
• To identify potential underlying causes, including renal disease and nutritional factors.
• To correlate mineralization with other pathological findings such as cardiac disease.

Main Methods:

• Necropsy and histological examination of 19 captive two-toed sloths of varying ages.
• Assessment of mineralization in arteries, visceral organs (gastric mucosa, kidneys, lungs), and cardiac tissues.
• Evaluation of renal and cardiac pathology to determine potential contributing factors.

Main Results:

• Soft tissue mineralization was diagnosed in all 19 sloths, with arterial mineralization (arteriosclerosis) in 11.
• Visceral mineralization commonly affected gastric mucosa and kidneys (17/19), and lungs (8/19).
• Moderate to severe renal disease was present in 11 adult sloths, while 5 sloths showed severe mineralization with normal or mildly affected kidneys, suggesting other causes.

Conclusions:

• Renal disease is a significant contributor to soft tissue mineralization in adult sloths.
• Other factors, including nutritional imbalances (calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D), may also play a role, particularly in cases with normal renal histology.
• Degenerative cardiac disease was common and potentially exacerbated by hypertension associated with arteriosclerosis.