TY  - JOUR
A1  - Linklater, Wayne L.
A1  - Mayer, Katharina
A1  - Swaisgood, Ronald R.
T1  - Chemical signals of age, sex and identity in black rhinoceros
JF  - Animal behaviour
N2  - Olfactory communication may be particularly important to black rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis, because they are solitary living and have comparatively poor eyesight but their populations are structured by inter-and intrasexual relationships. Understanding olfactory functions and processes might achieve better conservation management but their study in rhinoceros remains anecdotal or descriptive. Experimental approaches are required but rarely possible as rhinoceros are difficult to observe and manipulate. We measured the olfactory investigation behaviour (duration and frequency of sniffing) of black rhinoceros in four experiments designed to determine the function of chemosignals in dung and urine. A habituationedishabituation trial demonstrated that black rhinoceros discriminated individually distinctive odours from faecal signals (experiment 1). When adults (>6 years old) were presented with dung from conspecifics of different sex and age classes (adult, and subadult from 2 to 4 years old), male dung was investigated more by both sexes, and females investigated subadult dung more (experiment 2). Both dung and urine from the same adult donors were investigated by both sexes, but male dung was investigated more than female dung and female urine more than male urine, although differences were statistically weak (experiment 3). Lastly, fresh faecal samples and those aged 1, 2, 4, 16 and 32 days were similarly investigated, indicating that they still function as olfactory signals. Together the results indicate that dung or urine signalled age, sex and identity to conspecifics and signals may persist as dung decays. Chemosignals are likely to be important to the social and spatial organization of black rhinoceros.
KW  - black rhinoceros
KW  - Diceros bicornis var. minor
KW  - dung
KW  - faeces
KW  - hook-lipped rhinoceros
KW  - individual discrimination
KW  - olfactory communication
KW  - signal
KW  - urine
Y1  - 2013
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.12.034
SN  - 0003-3472
VL  - 85
IS  - 3
SP  - 671
EP  - 677
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - London
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Raila, Jens
A1  - Schweigert, Florian J.
A1  - Kohn, Barbara
T1  - Relationship between urinary Tamm-Horsfall protein excretion and renal function in dogs with naturally occurring renal disease
JF  - Veterinary clinical pathology
N2  - Background Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP) is physiologically excreted in urine, but little is known about the role of THP in the diagnosis of renal disease in dogs. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate to which extent naturally occurring renal disease affects the urinary excretion of THP. Methods Dogs were divided into 5 groups according to plasma creatinine concentration, urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UP/UC), and exogenous plasma creatinine clearance (P-ClCr) rates: Group A (healthy control dogs; n=8), nonazotemic and nonproteinuric dogs, with P-ClCr rates > 90mL/min/m2; group B (n=25), nonazotemic and nonproteinuric dogs with reduced P-ClCr rates (51-89mL/min/m2); group C (n=7), nonazotemic but proteinuric dogs with P-ClCr rates 53-98mL/min/m2; group D (n=8), azotemic and borderline proteinuric dogs (P-ClCr rates: 22-45mL/min/m2); and group E (n=15), azotemic and proteinuric dogs (not tested for P-ClCr). THP was measured by quantitative Western blot analysis, and the ratio of THP-to-urinary creatinine (THP/UC) was calculated. Results The THP/UC concentrations were not different among dogs of groups A-D, but were reduced in dogs of group E (P<.001). THP/UC correlated negatively with serum creatinine (P<.01) and UP/UC (P<.01), but was not significantly associated with P-ClCr. Conclusions Decreased levels of THP/UC were present in moderately to severely azotemic and proteinuric dogs. This suggests tubular injury in these dogs and that THP might be useful as urinary marker to study the pathogenesis of renal disease.
KW  - Distal tubules
KW  - dog
KW  - kidney
KW  - lower nephron
KW  - proteinuria
KW  - urine
Y1  - 2014
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.12143
SN  - 0275-6382
SN  - 1939-165X
VL  - 43
IS  - 2
SP  - 261
EP  - 265
PB  - Wiley-Blackwell
CY  - Hoboken
ER  -