Skin disease in captive bats: results of an online survey of zoos and rehabilitators in Europe, North America and Australasia

Background Bats may be held captive in zoos and breeding programmes, and for rehabilitation due to illness, abandonment or injury. Objectives To describe the frequency and characteristics of skin disease in captive bats. Methods Zoos (n = 164) in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, Wildlife Disease Association members and rehabilitators were invited to complete online questionnaires on skin lesions and housing. Associations between lesion type and site, frequency, species, age, suspected cause and season, and their association with housing in zoos were tested using chi‐squared and two‐sample z‐tests. Results Skin lesions were seen by 38.5% (15 of 39) of responding zoos and more frequently by rehabilitators (66.7%, 18 of 27; P = 0.024). Of the total of 153 lesions of any type reported by zoos and rehabilitators, almost two thirds occurred on the pinnae (49 of 153, 32%) or wing membranes (45 of 153, 29%). Amongst pinnal lesions, crusting (27%), swelling and redness (25%) and necrosis (20%) were most frequent. In zoos, pinnal (P = 0.001) and wing lesions (P = 0.045) were associated with “season”, being more common in winter. Pruritus was rare but more often reported from rehabilitation centres (12 of 77 observed lesions) than from zoos (1 of 76) (P = 0.0015). Lesions most often affected adult and geriatric bats in zoos, and juveniles and adults in rehabilitation. Eight respondents reported that skin disease necessitated euthanasia in individual bats. There was no significant association between type of housing and lesions. Conclusion Pinnal and wing lesions were common in captive bats, often with necrosis. Further research into the causes is needed to improve health and welfare of captive bats. Résumé Contexte Les chauves‐souris peuvent être maintenues en captivité dans les zoos ou au sein de programmes de reproduction et de réhabilitation en cas de maladie, d'abandon ou de blessure. Objectifs Décrire la fréquence et les caractéristiques des dermatoses des chauves‐souris en captivité. Méthodes Les zoos (n=164) en Europe, Amérique du Nord, Australie et Nouvelle Zélande, membres de la Wildlife Disease Association, ont été invités à compléter un questionnaire en ligne sur les lésions cutanées et les conditions de vie. Les associations entre les lésions et leurs localisations, la fréquence, l'espèce, l’âge et la cause suspectée et la saison et leur lien avec les conditions de vie dans les zoos ont été évalués par des tests chi² et des tests z à deux