Jun 12, 1989 - relationship between hematocrit and plasma proteins in pigeons. (Columba livia), gulls. (Larus ridibundus), and chickens. The higher the value.
Journal
of Wildlife
Diseases,
© Wildlife
HEMATOLOGIC OSTRICH
AND
BLOOD
CHEMISTRY
CAMEL
US)
(STRUTHIO
J. Palomeque,
0. Pinto,2
VALUES
OF THE
27(1),
Disease
1991,
pp.
34-40
Association
1991
MASAI
and G. Viscor
Departamento Bioquimica y Fisiologia, Universidad 08071-Barcelona, Spain 2Parque ZoolOgico de Barcelona, 08003-Barcelona,
de Barcelona, Spain
Norma! mean values for hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte and leukocyte counts, hematimetric indices, erythrocyte dimensions, glucose, urea, uric acid, cholesterol, creatinine, total bilirubin, serum aspartate aminotransferase, serum alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine phosphokinase, lactic dehydrogenase, inorganic phosphorus, chloride, total plasma protein, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were obtained from the blood or plasma of four Masai ostriches (Strut hio camelus) when juveniles at 5 mo of age and as adults 1 yr later in the Barcelona Zoo (Spain). Young ostriches had significantly lower concentrations ABSTRACT:
of hematocrit, hemoglobin protein and potassium, than different between the two
concentration, calcium, and magnesium, and higher levels of total the adult individuals. The rest of the parameters were not significantly age groups. The data obtained provide reference values for Masai
ostriches.
Key
words:
reference
Blood
values,
chemistry
age
values,
variation,
captive
hematology,
INTRODUCTION
There hematology
is
a paucity of information and blood chemistries
wild
avian
species,
birds. with
Ostriches vestigial
are peculiar wings and
for
MATERIALS
ratite
flightless well-developed
bird
animals
and
more
recently,
(1982) listed hematological red and white blood cell
counts
moglobin.
(1982)
of
Stoskopft
eight
blue
camelus
austrealis)
matologic tein
including and hein a pool
ostriches
(Struthio
described
parameters
and
a few the
he-
plasma
pro-
concentration.
Clinical useful aid illness
et a!.
necked
hematology and for the diagnosis
in caged
birds
chemistry of disease
(Woerpel
and
is a and Ross-
kopf, 1984). Therefore, establish hematological
it is important reference values
to in
the
ratites
to
have ports
ostrich
and
other
baseline information. This on baseline hematological
in
order paper and
healthy
juveniles
and
AND METHODS
consisted
of
a mixture
of
fresh
vege-
sions from the same individuals: once when the ostriches were 5-mo-old (juveniles), and 1 yr later (adults). To reduce the variation associated with diurnal changes in blood (Dolnik, 1973), the blood samples were taken from the brachia! vein at the same hour (10:00 to 11:00 AM.). Blood samples were drawn with a heparinized syringe. The cellular portion of the blood was removed by centrifugation to stabilize different enzyme systems. A small blood sample was separated to immediately conduct the hematological analyses, which were always completed within 2 hr after blood withdrawal. The plasma tubes were immediately frozen and the biochemical analyses were conducted subsequently. The hematocrit was determined using a heparinized capillary tube and centrifuging the blood in a micro-hematocrit centrifuge (GriCel, Barcelona, Spain) for 6 mm at 11,500 rpm.
Leonard
data
normal
tables plus a vitamin supplement (Pecutrin#{174} Bayer, AG Leverkusen, Federal Republic of Germany). Water was available ad libitum. Al! animals were apparently healthy with no clinical signs of disease. Blood samples were obtained on two occa-
thio camelus massaicus) were obtained by Gulliver (1875). Later, De Villiers (1938) described physical properties of the blood ostrich
camelus,
The ostriches were born in the Tel Aviv Zoo (Tel Aviv, Israel), subsequently purchased by the Barcelona Zoo (Barcelona, Spain), and maintained in 500 m2 fenced pens. The diet of the
legs allowing them to run for several minutes at a velocity of 50 to 70 km/hr and for long distances (Cramp, 1985). Hematological values of the Masai ostrich (Stru-
of the
Struthio
ostrich,
chemical values in adult Masai ostriches.
on the of many
especially
Masai
study.
rebio34
PALOMEQUE
1.
TABLE
Hematologic
values
ET AL-HEMATOLOGY
in the captive
AND
BLOOD
CHEMISTRY
OF THE
OSTRICH
35
ostrich.
Measurement
Unit
Juveniles
Adults
Hematocrit
%
Erythrocytes
x
Hemoglobin Mean corpuscular
volume
g/100 m3
Mean
hemoglobin
pg
70.5
(9.0)
65.3
(7.0)
% x lfV/mm3
35.9 19.5
(3.1) (13.7)
32.5 21.0
(3.0) (8.0)
corpuscular
Mean corpuscular Leukocytes Mean
(standard
hemoglobin
concentration
37.0 ml
13.3
concentration of well-mixed
was whole
measured by blood to 5 ml
dex of the
deviation
shape.
parameters
All
ing the methods
optical density which was measured in a spectrophotometer set a 540 tim. The erythrocyte number (RBC) was counted in a hemocytometer Thomas chamber after the sample was diluted in saline (Ferrer, 1929). The leukocyte count (WBC) was determined using a hemocytometer (Ferrer, 1929). The hematimetric indices, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were calculated rom the RBC count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin concentration. The morphometric determination of average RBC length and width were measured from selected smears. These were fixed with methanol and stained with MayGr#{252}nwald and Giemsa solutions, as described by Lucas and Jamroz (1961). The cells were
HF HF
reagent
examined and their calibrated
(Drabkin
at 1,000 dimension eyepiece
Measurements from different and
length
TABLE 2. tive ostrich.
x
and
(oil immersion objective) estimated by means of (Nikon; Tokyo, Japan).
cas
(31.2)
internal
cytology.
to width
were
Unit
Ratios
calculated
of erythrocytes
Santi
were
length
Cell Cell
width length/cell
sm m
width
‘Mean
length width length! width
(standard
(25.1)
menagent,
sm sm
follow-
for avian
merckotest,
Merck, Darmstadt many), total bilirubin Menarini), serum
Italy), uric
Via
urea
acid
(3397
merckotest,
aminotransferase Merck), alkaline phosphatase
Merck),
(ALT) phosphatase
menagent,
phosphokinase
(uric
lactic
merck-i-test, menagent,
acid
(choles(3385
serum
(3398
creatinine
(14328
merck-i-test,
dehydrogenase
Merck), Menarini),
alanine
merckotest, (AP) (alkaline
Menarini),
(CPK)
Merck),
(urea
Frankfurter Strasse 250, 1, Federal Republic of Ger(total bilirubin menagent, aspartate aminotransferase
D-6100
(AST)
(Lu-
Menarini,
Firenza,
Menarini),
blood
menagent, Menarini), cholesterol terol HF menagent, Menarini), creatinine
(LDH)
and were
chloride determined
(3349 (chlorofix using
commercial kits. These techniques are commonly used in avian veterinary diagnosis. Total plasma proteins (TP) were measured using the a
Lowry
et a!. (1951)
tassium were trophotometry al
AG,
technique.
Sodium
and
po-
analyzed by flame emission spec(Varian-875, Varian Internation-
Viaduckstrasse
65,
organic phosphorus by inductively coupled plasma (ICP spectrophotometer Jobin Yvon-JY-38 VHR, ISA Instruments, Division Jobin Yvon, 16-
du canal
magnesium
Basel,
as an in-
18 rue
calcium,
1
Switzerland)
in the cap-
and
CH-401
of maxi-
(1.17)’
13.30
(1.09)
Longiumeau,
and
in-
C#{232}dex,France).
AND DISCUSSION
7.49 (0.84)
7.53 (0.79)
1.76(0.15) 5.47 (0.65) 2.89 (0.40)
1.77 (0.19) 5.58 (0.72) 2.96 (0.48)
1.94 (0.37)
1.89 (0.41)
1, 2 and
matologic
and
juvenile
and
mean and individuals values were
deviation).
a spherical
Adults
Juveniles
13.18
from
determined
described
3, 50131
Tables Cell
Nucleus nuclear
(0.89)
201.1
of RBC’s
RESULTS
Nucleus
(0.37)
15.6
and Jamroz, 1961). Glucose (glucofix menagent,
Sette
of 50 erythrocytes were taken smears selected for excellence of
Measurements
Measurement
Nucleus
(2.4)
2.42
(0.39)
196.9
Austin, 1935). After 10 mm this was centrifuged at 2,500 rpm for 5 mm in order to avoid interference of the lysed nuclei during the determination of the
of Drabkin’s
mum
48.0
(0.28)
deviation).
Hemoglobin adding 10 l
staining
(2.1)’
1.91
10/mm
Statistical
