{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,26]],"date-time":"2026-01-26T10:07:21Z","timestamp":1769422041472,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,13]],"date-time":"2025-03-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1741824000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)","award":["UIDB\/00772\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00772\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Metabolic bone disease (MBD) is clinically characterized by bone deformities and is associated with vitamin D3 deficiency in diurnal animals. However, the pathogenesis and etiology of this condition in flying foxes, considered nocturnal animals, are poorly understood. Therefore, we conducted a survey aimed at various zoological parks housing flying foxes to elucidate the pathogenesis and etiology of MBD in these animals. Our results indicate that vitamin D3 may play a role in preventing metabolic bone disease in flying foxes due to its involvement in calcium absorption. However, these nocturnal animals seem to obtain vitamin D3 primarily through dietary sources in contrast to the cutaneous absorption described in diurnal species. Additionally, our results suggest that an appropriate diet for this species, including fruits, green vegetables, and other protein sources such as animal products and mineral supplementation, could contribute to preventing metabolic bone disease.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci12030271","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,13]],"date-time":"2025-03-13T10:16:45Z","timestamp":1741861005000},"page":"271","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Metabolic Bone Disease in Captive Flying Foxes: A Comprehensive Survey Across Zoological Parks"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Diana","family":"Faim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Onevetgroup Hospital Veterin\u00e1rio de Leiria (HVL), 2410-270 Leiria, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6602-0926","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Filipe","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Centre for Animal Sciences and Veterinary Studies (CECAV), Associate Laboratory of Animal and Veterinary Sciences\u2014AL4AnimalS, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Anton","family":"Weissenbacher","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vienna Zoo (Tiergarten Sch\u00f6nbrunn), 1130 Wien, Austria"}]},{"given":"Iris","family":"Starnberger","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vienna Zoo (Tiergarten Sch\u00f6nbrunn), 1130 Wien, Austria"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6330-4560","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isabel","family":"Pires","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences (ECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Centre for Animal Sciences and Veterinary Studies (CECAV), Associate Laboratory of Animal and Veterinary Sciences\u2014AL4AnimalS, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Wilson, D.E., and Reeder, D.M. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Johns Hopkins University Press. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mickleburgh, S.P., Hutson, A.M., and Racey, P.A. (1992). Old World Fruit Bats: An Action Plan for Their Conservation, IUCN.","DOI":"10.2305\/IUCN.CH.1992.SSC-AP.6.en"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"IUCN (2023, February 14). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available online: https:\/\/www.iucnredlist.org\/en."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5902","DOI":"10.13057\/biodiv\/d231144","article-title":"Musculoskeletal Structure of the Shoulder and Arm in Large Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus)","volume":"23","author":"Cahyadi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Biodivers. J. Biol. Divers."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"324","DOI":"10.1134\/S1062360414060071","article-title":"Key Morphofunctional Transformations in the Evolution of Bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera)","volume":"45","author":"Kovalyova","year":"2014","journal-title":"Russ. J. Dev. Biol."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Dempsey, J., Bernard, J., Crissey, S., and Dierenfeld, E. (2023, June 09). Fruit Bats: Nutrition and Dietary Husbandrya. Available online: https:\/\/nagonline.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/NAG-FS014-FRUIT-BATS-AUG-2004.pdf."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"281","article-title":"Chiroptera (Bats)","volume":"Volume 8","author":"Fowler","year":"2015","journal-title":"Fowler\u2019s Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.3161\/15081109ACC2019.21.1.015","article-title":"Bat Folivory in Numbers: How Many, How Much, and How Long?","volume":"21","year":"2019","journal-title":"Acta Chiropterol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"280","DOI":"10.1007\/s00442-002-1036-z","article-title":"Sources of Assimilated Protein in Five Species of New World Frugivorous Bats","volume":"133","author":"Herrera","year":"2002","journal-title":"Oecologia"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1007\/s42991-022-00327-2","article-title":"Eat What You Can, When You Can: Relatively High Arthropod Consumption by Frugivorous Bats in Amazonian Peru","volume":"103","author":"Lim","year":"2023","journal-title":"Mamm. Biol."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Barnard, S.M. (2011). Bats in Captivity, Volume 3: Diet and Feeding\u2014Environment and Housing, Logos Press. Bats in Captivity."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"AZA BAT TAG (2023, June 09). Standardized Guidelines for Fruit and Nectar Bat Care 2004. Available online: https:\/\/www.battag.org\/husbandry.html."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"LeBlanc, D. (1999). Fruit Bat Enrichment at The Lubee Foundation, Inc., The Lubee Foundation, Inc."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Smith, T., Hosie, C., Wormell, D., Price, E., and Stanley, C.R. (2020). Social Experience of Captive Livingstone\u2019s Fruit Bats (Pteropus livingstonii). Animals, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani10081321"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Maxie, M.G., and Saunders, W.B. (2016). Chapter 2\u2014Bones and Joints. Jubb, Kennedy & Palmer\u2019s Pathology of Domestic Animals: Volume 1, Elsevier. [6th ed.].","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-7020-5317-7.00001-1"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-pathol-011110-130203","article-title":"Disorders of Bone Remodeling","volume":"6","author":"Feng","year":"2011","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Pathol. Mech. Dis."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Gr\u00fcnberg, W. (2023, June 09). Dystrophies Associated with Calcium, Phosphorus, and Vitamin D in Animals\u2014Musculoskeletal System. Available online: https:\/\/www.msdvetmanual.com\/musculoskeletal-system\/dystrophies-associated-with-calcium,-phosphorus,-and-vitamin-d\/dystrophies-associated-with-calcium,-phosphorus,-and-vitamin-d-in-animals."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"574","DOI":"10.3122\/jabfm.2009.05.090026","article-title":"Secondary Hyperparathyroidism: Pathophysiology and Treatment","volume":"22","author":"Saliba","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Am. Board Fam. Med. JABFM"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Carmel, B., and Johnson, R. (2017). Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases. Reptile Medicine and Surgery in Clinical Practice, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118977705.ch15"},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"McWilliams, D., and Leeson, S. (2014). Metabolic Bone Disease in Lizards: Prevalence and Potential for Monitoring Bone Health. Clin. Nutr. Reptil. Amphib., 120\u2013129. Available online: https:\/\/nagonline.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/McWilliams-MetabolicBoneDiseaseinLizards.pdf."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1923","DOI":"10.3945\/jn.110.120998","article-title":"Nutritional Metabolic Bone Disease in Juvenile Veiled Chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus) and Its Prevention","volume":"140","author":"Hoby","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1016\/S0016-6480(03)00150-3","article-title":"Vitamin D Metabolism in a Frugivorous Nocturnal Mammal, the Egyptian Fruit Bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus)","volume":"133","author":"Cavaleros","year":"2003","journal-title":"Gen. Comp. Endocrinol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1006\/gcen.2001.7635","article-title":"Observations on Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Calcium Concentrations from Wild-Caught and Captive Neotropical Bats, Artibeus Jamaicensis","volume":"122","author":"Kwiecinski","year":"2001","journal-title":"Gen. Comp. Endocrinol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"451","DOI":"10.3161\/150811009X485675","article-title":"Variation in Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Free-Ranging New-World Tropical Bats","volume":"11","author":"Southworth","year":"2009","journal-title":"Acta Chiropterol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"192","DOI":"10.4161\/derm.24020","article-title":"Effects of Sunlight on Behavior and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Two Species of Old World Fruit Bats","volume":"5","author":"Southworth","year":"2013","journal-title":"Dermato-Endocrinol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Torres, D.A., Freitas, M.B., da Matta, S.L.P., Novaes, R.D., and Gon\u00e7alves, R.V. (2019). Is Bone Loss a Physiological Cost of Reproduction in the Great Fruit-Eating Bat Artibeus Lituratus?. PLoS ONE, 14.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0213781"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"410","DOI":"10.1002\/aja.1001780410","article-title":"Annual Skeletal Changes in the Little Brown Bat, Myotis Lucifugus Lucifugus, with Particular Reference to Pregnancy and Lactation","volume":"178","author":"Kwiecinski","year":"1987","journal-title":"Am. J. Anat."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Simpson, V.R. (1994, January 22\u201324). Pathological Conditions in British Bats. Proceedings of the European Wildlife Disease Association 1st Conference, Paris, France. Available online: https:\/\/ewda.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/EWDA-1st-Conference-Paris-22-24-Nov-1994-Abstracts-part-1_rotated.pdf."},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"Lollar, A. (2024, December 12). The Rehabilitation and Captive Care of Insectivorous Bats 2018. Available online: https:\/\/batworld.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/E-Book-The-Rehabilitation-and-Captive-Care-of-Insectivorous-Bats.pdf."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcpa.2021.04.010","article-title":"A Retrospective Study of Pathology in Bats Submitted to an Exotic and Zoo Animal Diagnostic Service in Georgia, USA (2008\u20132019)","volume":"185","author":"Kirejczyk","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Comp. Pathol."},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Species360 (2023, January 12). Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) 2023. Available online: https:\/\/species360.org\/zims\/."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Barnard, S.M. (2009). Bats in Captivity 1: Biological and Medical Aspets, Logos Press."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Lopes, A., Ravasco, F., Oliveira, L., and Dias, M.G. (2024, December 12). Tabela da Composi\u00e7\u00e3o de Alimentos portuguesa: Da compila\u00e7\u00e3o \u00e0 atualiza\u00e7\u00e3o. Available online: https:\/\/www.rcaap.pt\/detail.jsp?id=oai:repositorio.insa.pt:10400.18\/8750."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2907.1998.00033.x","article-title":"Dietary Strategies of Old World Fruit Bats (Megachiroptera, Pteropodidae): How Do They Obtain Sufficient Protein?","volume":"28","author":"Courts","year":"1998","journal-title":"Mammal Rev."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Pulscher, L.A., Dierenfeld, E.S., Welbergen, J.A., Rose, K.A., and Phalen, D.N. (2021). A Comparison of Nutritional Value of Native and Alien Food Plants for a Critically Endangered Island Flying-Fox. PLoS ONE, 16.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0250857"},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"57","article-title":"Stress","volume":"Volume 5","author":"Fowler","year":"1996","journal-title":"Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"375","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.nu.08.070188.002111","article-title":"The Role of Sunlight in the Cutaneous Production of Vitamin D3","volume":"8","author":"Webb","year":"1988","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"Greco, D., and Stabenfeldt, G.H. (1999). Metabolismo do c\u00e1lcio e do fosfato. Tratado de Fisiologia Veterin\u00e1ria, Guanabara Koogan."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pbiomolbio.2006.02.004","article-title":"Who, What, Where and When-Influences on Cutaneous Vitamin D Synthesis","volume":"92","author":"Webb","year":"2006","journal-title":"Prog. Biophys. Mol. Biol."},{"key":"ref_40","first-page":"41","article-title":"Animal Models of Osteogenesis Imperfecta: Applications in Clinical Research","volume":"8","author":"Enderli","year":"2016","journal-title":"Orthop. Res. Rev."}],"container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2306-7381\/12\/3\/271\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T16:53:06Z","timestamp":1760028786000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2306-7381\/12\/3\/271"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,13]]},"references-count":40,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3]]}},"alternative-id":["vetsci12030271"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/vetsci12030271","relation":{},"ISSN":["2306-7381"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2306-7381","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,13]]}}}