Vol. 7, Issue 4, Part A (2022)

Author(s): S Ilayaraja, Arun A Sha, Srinu Srikanta Maharana and Baiju Raj MV

Abstract: In the wild, Sloth bears possess a wide range of food habits for which fecal consistency and appearance couldn’t be incorporated. However, in captivity, there is a standardized diet formulation concerning their nutritional needs and behavioural welfare. Non-invasive monitoring of fecal samples is paramount to understanding overall health status, including gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, and worm burden etc. Although several studies on scat analysis of sloth bears are available, the gross appearance of feces correlated with health status is largely unexplored. Here we attempted to establish a standardized fecal consistency grading system following the phenotypic appearance of feces cohere with GI health. Our observations revealed the highest prevalence of soft semi-solid feces “always” with no shape and firm and semi-dry feces “often”. Comparisons were made with respect to the dietary factors, fecal consistency, health status, and incidence of any abnormality. The current study's findings build an empirical base to understand gastrointestinal health through gross observation of feces.

DOI: 10.22271/veterinary.2022.v7.i4a.426