title: Hematologic and serum chemistry reference intervals for free-ranging lions (Panthera leo).
abstract: Hematologic and serum chemistry values are used by veterinarians and wildlife researchers to assess health status and to identify abnormally high or low levels of a particular blood parameter in a target species. For free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) information about these values is scarce. In this study 7 hematologic and 11 serum biochemistry values were evaluated from 485 lions from the Kruger National Park, South Africa. Significant differences between sexes and sub-adult (≤ 36 months) and adult (>36 months) lions were found for most of the blood parameters and separate reference intervals were made for those values. The obtained reference intervals include the means of the various blood parameter values measured in captive lions, except for alkaline phosphatase in the subadult group. These reference intervals can be utilized for free-ranging lions, and may likely also be used as reference intervals for captive lions.
authors: Division of Epidemiology, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. maas.miriam@gmail.com
authors: Miriam
authors: M
authors: Maas
authors: Dewald F
authors: DF
authors: Keet
authors: Mirjam
authors: M
authors: Nielen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004906:Erythrocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005916:Globulins / Q000378:metabolism; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000662:veterinary; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D016014:Linear Models; D008045:Lions / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D005916:Globulins; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002784:Cholesterol; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase