Relationship between plasma iron concentration and gastric pH in captive adult bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

Objective: To determine the correlation between plasma iron concentrations and gastric pH in a population of captive Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

Animals: 6 adult female dolphins that ranged from 16 to 30 years of age.

Procedures: Blood and gastric samples were collected from each dolphin to allow measurement of plasma iron concentrations and gastric pH, respectively.

Oral administration of sucrose solutions and measurement of serum sucrose concentrations to evaluate gastric permeability in adult bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

Objective: To measure concentrations of sucrose in the serum of captive dolphins after oral administration of a sucrose solution and determine the suitability of this method for use as a test to detect gastric ulcers.

Animals: 8 adult captive bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

Procedures: Blood samples were collected from the ventral fluke vein of dolphins before and 45 minutes after oral administration of 500 mL of solution containing 25 or 50 g of sucrose; oral administration was achieved by use of gastric intubation.