Clinical biochemical values of llamas: reference values

Fifteen clinical biochemical measurements were done on serum from 64 clinically healthy adult llamas (26 males and 38 females). Values for several of these tests were different from those reported for llamas and from reference values for other domesticated ruminants. Comparison of values between males and females revealed significant differences for several tests. Clinical biochemical values reported in the present study can serve as reference values for adult llamas.     

Electrocardiographic reference values in whippets

The aim of this study was to determine the electrocardiographic characteristics of whippets and to compare the results with published reference values for a general dog population. Electrocardiographic parameters from 105 healthy whippets were used to establish reference values for the breed.The most important differences compared to published reference values were the higher median R-wave amplitudes in leads II, CV₆LL and CV₆LU. For some parameters (P-wave amplitude, ST-segment deflection and T-wave amplitude in lead II; R-wave amplitude in CV₅RL), a marked percentage of the whippet values were above the published maximum reference data. The results confirmed that whippets have electrocardiographic characteristics similar to those reported in athletic heart syndrome in humans. Some of these characteristics could be erroneously taken as evidence of cardiac disease and clinicians should be aware of these factors to prevent unnecessary investigations in healthy dogs.     

M-mode echocardiographic values in sheep

M-mode echocardiograms were recorded from 21 adult sheep (20 ewes, 1 whether). Fifteen echocardiographic measurements were taken and compared with body weights or heart rates, using linear regression equations. Significant correlations (P less than 0.05) were found when body weight was compared with left ventricular internal dimensions in systole (Yo = 0.187 Xo + 18.60, P less than 0.05) and diastole (Yo = 0.346 Xo + 26.69, P less than 0.02), septal thickness in systole (Yo = 0.0876 Xo + 7.64, P less than 0.05) and diastole (Yo = 0.0673 Xo + 4.45, P less than 0.05), aortic root dimension (Yo = 0.129 Xo + 23.40, P less than 0.05), and left atrial dimension (Yo = 0.194 Xo + 15.95, P less than 0.005). Heart rate was significantly correlated (P less than 0.05) with body weight (Yo = -0.245 X 96.71, P less than 0.05), ejection time (Yo = -0.0013 Xo + 0.376, P less than 0.001), velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (Yo = 0.0061 Xo + 0.928, P less than 0.05), mean velocity of mitral valve middiastolic closure (Yo = -0.184 Xo + 1.65, P less than 0.02), and left atrial dimension (Yo = -0.109 + 40.55, P less than 0.005). Fractional shortening of the left ventricle was (mean) 37.2 +/- 5.7% and the left atrial to aortic root ratio was (mean) 0.92 +/- 0.10.     

Echocardiographic values in the Greyhound

SUMMARY Serial B- and M-mode echocardiography was performed on Greyhounds to determine normal cardiac values for this breed. These were generally of greater magnitude than predicted from previous echocardiographic research on other breeds and crossbreeds. In particular, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, measured at both systole and diastole, was consistently greater.     

Hematologic values in normal pygmy goats

Pygmy goat blood was analyzed to determine hematologic base-line values. Male, female, and castrated male goats were used in this investigation. Influence of age on these variables was also studied. Most of the hematologic values of pygmy goats were similar to the reference values reported for several other ruminant species and for man. Values significantly different from reference values in man were as follows: Erythrocyte counts were slightly higher than for human beings. The relative lymphocyte count was comparable to that in infants, but significantly greater than values in adult human beings. Also, although not of statistical significance, hemoglobin levels in goats were slightly lower than in both infants and adult human beings, and the leukocyte count was just slightly higher than the usual values for infants and adult human beings. Thus, of 9 hematologic variables, only 1 was significantly different from those in man, and 2 were slightly different. The fact that pygmy goats have hematologic responses similar to those of man, and the similarity of hematologic values to reference values in man, further enhances the pygmy goat for use as an experimental animal.     

Serum biochemistry values in normal pygmy goats

Blood serum of pygmy goats (both sexes, and castrated males) was analyzed to establish biochemical reference values. Influence of age on reference values was also studied. Serum biochemical analyses were made for urea nitrogen, creatinin, bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, glucose, uric acid, and total lipids. These serum values for pygmy goats were similar to those reported for man, except as follows: Aspartate aminotransferase activities were slightly higher than those reported for man. Glucose concentrations in pygmy goats were slightly lower than in human beings, and uric acid levels were significantly lower than the values for man. Female and castrated male goats had lower total lipid concentrations than did human beings, whereas intact males had higher concentrations. Thus, of the 9 measured variables for pygmy goats, 5 were comparable to human values. This, together with other attributes, including the small size which conduces to economics of maintenance and enhances the desirability of using pygmy goats in research.     

Hematologic values in young pretraining healthy Greyhounds

BACKGROUND: Greyhound dogs have numerous clinicopathologic differences compared with other dog breeds, most notably in their hematologic profiles. The hematologic differences are likely related to breed; however, the influence of other factors, including age, sex, and training, has not been fully determined. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess hematologic values in young, healthy, pretraining Greyhounds and to determine the effects of age and sex on these findings. METHODS: Jugular venous EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples were collected from 43 healthy, pretraining Greyhounds between 5 and 13 months of age. Samples were analyzed within 24 hours of collection on an Abbott CELL-DYN 3500R hematology analyzer. Mean hematologic results for different age groups, and correlation with age and sex were determined for each analyte. Results were compared with adult canine, nonbreed-specific reference intervals. RESULTS: From the age of 9 to 10 months, Greyhounds had higher HCT, hemoglobin concentration, and RBC counts compared with adult canine reference intervals. Younger Greyhounds (5-6 months) had values comparable with reference intervals. Mean total WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts tended to be toward the lower end or below the reference intervals. HCT, hemoglobin concentration, and RBC counts were correlated positively with age, and platelet count was correlated negatively with age. No differences were found based on sex. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm that significant hematologic differences exist in pretraining Greyhounds by 9 to 10 months of age, when compared with adult canine, nonbreed-specific reference intervals; however, these differences are less marked in Greyhounds 5 to 6 months old. Given these findings, it is unlikely that factors such as training or racing are responsible for differences in hematologic values between adult Greyhounds and other breeds.     

Hematologic values in newborn beef calves.

Hematologic values were determined in 35 beef calves at birth, at 24 and 48 hours, and in 22 of these calves at 3 weeks after birth. Thirty calves did not have clinical signs of disease throughout the 3-week period. Variables that changed significantly over time in these healthy calves included hematocrit, RBC count, hemoglobin concentration, mean cell volume, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, WBC count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and plasma total protein and serum immunoglobulin concentrations. Of the 35 calves, 5 had clinical signs of disease at 3 weeks. Comparison of hematologic values from these calves with values for healthy calves revealed significant differences at each sample collection time, although disease was not evident at the 3 early sample times. The band neutrophil count and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio differed between the 2 groups at birth. At 24 hours, the monocyte count was higher in the 5 ill calves. At 48 hours, total leukocyte, mature neutrophil, and monocyte counts, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio also were higher in the 5 calves. At 3 weeks when clinical signs of disease were detectable in the 5 calves, the total leukocyte, band neutrophil, and mature neutrophil counts, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and plasma total protein and fibrinogen concentrations were higher.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)