Urinalysis could be helpful to investigate the health status of giraffes held in captivity using noninvasive methods to avoid animal handling or anesthesia. We collected 52 voided urine samples from 20 giraffes of different ages, sexes, and subspecies from the ground. To evaluate potential interference by soil contaminants, a pilot study was performed using 20 urine samples obtained from 10 cows. All bovine and 29 giraffe samples were subjected to routine urinalysis including urine specific gravity (USG). All samples were analyzed for urine total protein (uTP), urine creatinine (uCrea) concentration, and urine protein-to-urine creatinine ratio (UPC). Urinary proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. No significant differences were determined between free-catch and urine sampled from the ground in cows. Giraffe urine was pale-yellow, with alkaline pH (>8.0) and a mean USG of 1.035 ± 0.013. The uTP, uCrea, and UPC expressed as median (range) were 0.20 (0.08–0.47) g/L, 2.36 (0.62–5.2) g/L, and 0.08 (0.05–0.15), respectively. SDS-PAGE allowed the separation of protein bands with different molecular masses, including putative uromodulin at 90 kD, putative albumin at 64 kD, and putative immunoglobulin heavy and light chains at 49 kD and 25 kD, respectively. Urine collection from the ground appears to be a reliable technique for urinalysis and urine electrophoresis in giraffes.

尿液分析可能有助于使用非侵入性方法调查圈养长颈鹿的健康状况，以避免动物处理或麻醉。我们从地面收集了 20 只不同年龄、性别和亚种的长颈鹿的 52 份排尿样本。为了评估土壤污染物的潜在干扰，使用 10 头奶牛的 20 份尿液样本进行了一项试点研究。所有牛和 29 只长颈鹿样本都进行了常规尿液分析，包括尿液比重 (USG)。分析所有样本的尿总蛋白 (uTP)、尿肌酐 (uCrea) 浓度和尿蛋白与尿肌酐比 (UPC)。通过SDS-PAGE电泳分离尿蛋白。从奶牛的地面采样的自由捕获物和尿液之间没有确定显着差异。长颈鹿的尿液呈淡黄色，碱性 pH (>8.0) 和平均 USG 为 1.035 ± 0.013。以中位数（范围）表示的 uTP、uCrea 和 UPC 分别为 0.20 (0.08–0.47) g/L、2.36 (0.62–5.2) g/L 和 0.08 (0.05–0.15)。SDS-PAGE 允许分离具有不同分子量的蛋白质条带，包括推定的 90 kD 尿调节蛋白、推定的 64 kD 白蛋白和推定的免疫球蛋白重链和轻链，分别为 49 kD 和 25 kD。从地面收集尿液似乎是长颈鹿尿液分析和尿液电泳的可靠技术。包括推定的 90 kD 尿调节素、推定的 64 kD 白蛋白和推定的免疫球蛋白重链和轻链，分别为 49 kD 和 25 kD。从地面收集尿液似乎是长颈鹿尿液分析和尿液电泳的可靠技术。包括推定的 90 kD 尿调节素、推定的 64 kD 白蛋白和推定的免疫球蛋白重链和轻链，分别为 49 kD 和 25 kD。从地面收集尿液似乎是长颈鹿尿液分析和尿液电泳的可靠技术。