title: Selected laboratory parameters of thoroughbreds.
abstract: Selected haematological, blood chemical and serological variables were investigated in healthy Thoroughbreds (n = 45) in training. Haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, red, white and differential cell counts as well as serum concentrations of total and ionized calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, inorganic phosphorus, total bilirubin, iron, glucose, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and creatine kinase were found to be within ranges previously reported for horses. No statistically significant difference was found between the haematocrit (Ht) of horses n = 44; mean = 0.44; SD = 0.02) of different performance or between those of different age groups. A significant difference was found between the Ht of males (mean = 0.43; SD = 0.02) and females (mean = 0.45; SD = 0.02) and between quiet (mean = 0.44; SD = 0.02) and excitable (mean = 0.46; SD = 0.02) horses. No significant difference in red cell potassium concentration was found between horses of different performance. Cortisol, insulin, parathormone (C-terminal), aldosterone and folate concentrations respectively varied between 89-204 (mean = 144.4; SD = 25.47) nmol l-1, 4.2-23 (mean = 10; SD = 4.30) m U l-1, 65.2-91.4 (mean = 79.46; SD = 9.34) pmol l-1, less than 138 to 379 pmol l-1 and 9.4-21.5 (mean 14.5; SD = 2.87) nmol l-1. Vit B12 concentrations exceeded 1400 pmol l-1. Blood lead concentrations in all animals were below 15 ug l-1. Fifteen (33.3%) of the horses were carriers of babesiosis. Laboratory findings concerning these horses did not differ from those of the other horses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Medical University of Southern Africa, Republic of South Africa.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Heerden
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dauth
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nichas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: De Waal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values