{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]],"date-time":"2026-10-13T23:09:44Z","timestamp":1791932984997,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"21","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,27]],"date-time":"2022-10-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1666828800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In mammals, lipemic blood from sampling too soon after an animal feeds can have substantial effects on biochemical values. Plasma biochemical values in reptiles may be affected by species, age, season, and nutritional state. However, fasting status is not routinely considered when sampling reptile blood. Assessing uric acid levels in snakes is an important part of the diagnosis of the renal disease. However, the use of this biochemical indicator is undervalued without knowledge of natural uric acid fluctuations and the lack of differentiation from pathological changes. This study aimed to look at the relationship between snake feeding and uric acid concentrations. The investigation aims to better understand the feed-induced changes that occur and render the analysis of this biochemical parameter a more potent diagnostic tool. The study used ten snakes belonging to seven species, and basal uric acid values were evaluated by blood biochemical analysis before feeding. The snakes were fed in two rounds, with successive blood sampling and monitoring of uric acid changes carried out for each. The snakes were fed approximately 50% more with the second round of feeding to investigate the relationship between food supply and uric acid level. The findings show feeding led to substantial elevations in uric acid values, whereby postprandial concentrations were significantly elevated for up to 8 days after feeding. The findings show the significant changes in uric acid levels that occur after feeding and the similarities between postprandial rises in uric acid and those reported in snakes with renal disease. To minimize misdiagnosis and differentiate transient postprandial hyperuricemia from pathological increases, it is recommended that sufficient anamnestic data on time since the last feeding be collected, as well as repeated samples following weeks of fasting. This knowledge is crucial because the amount of feed in terms of intensity and volume has a significant effect on uric acid levels in the blood of snakes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani12212959","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,27]],"date-time":"2022-10-27T20:37:58Z","timestamp":1666903078000},"page":"2959","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["The Amount of Food Ingested and Its Impact on the Level of Uric Acid in the Blood Plasma of Snakes"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Milo\u0161","family":"Hal\u00e1n","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epizootiology, Parasitology and Protection of One Health, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Ko\u0161ice, Komensk\u00e9ho 68\/73, 041 81 Ko\u0161ice, Slovakia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lucia","family":"Kottferov\u00e1","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic of Birds, Exotic and Free Living Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Komensk\u00e9ho 68\/73, 041 81 Ko\u0161ice, Slovakia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karol","family":"Ra\u010dka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Epizootiology, Parasitology and Protection of One Health, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Ko\u0161ice, Komensk\u00e9ho 68\/73, 041 81 Ko\u0161ice, Slovakia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anthony","family":"Lam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Companion Care Vets-Folkestone, Folkestone CT19 5SY, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"890829","DOI":"10.4061\/2011\/890829","article-title":"The effects of feeding on hematological and plasma biochemical profiles in green (Chelonia mydas) and Kemp\u2019s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles","volume":"2011","author":"Anderson","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet. 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