title: Analysis of serum and cerebrospinal fluid in clinically normal adult miniature donkeys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish reference intervals for serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters in clinically healthy adult miniature donkeys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experiments were conducted on 10 female and 10 male clinically normal adult miniature donkeys, randomly selected from five herds. Lumbosacral CSF collection was performed with the sedated donkey in the standing position. Cell analysis was performed immediately after the samples were collected. Blood samples were obtained from the jugular vein immediately after CSF sample collection. Sodium, potassium, glucose, urea nitrogen, total protein, calcium, chloride, phosphorous and magnesium concentrations were measured in CSF and serum samples. A paired t-test was used to compare mean values between female and male donkeys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CSF was uniformly clear, colourless and free from flocculent material, with a specific gravity of 1.002. The range of total nucleated cell counts was 2-4 cells/μL. The differential white cell count comprised only small lymphocytes. No erythrocytes or polymorphonuclear cells were observed on cytological examination. Reference values were obtained for biochemical analysis of serum and CSF. Gender had no effect on any variables measured in serum or CSF (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CSF analysis can provide important information in addition to that gained by clinical examination. CSF analysis has not previously been performed in miniature donkeys; this is the first report on the subject. In the present study, reference intervals for total nucleated cell count, total protein, glucose, urea nitrogen, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorous and magnesium concentrations of serum and CSF were determined for male and female miniature donkeys.
authors: Department of Clinical Studies, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. aliasghar_mozaffari@uk.ac.ir
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Mozaffari
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Samadieh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D001806:Blood Urea Nitrogen; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; D002712:Chlorides / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D018397:Equidae / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012016:Reference Values; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D014508:Urea / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; D002712:Chlorides; D010758:Phosphorus; D014508:Urea; D012964:Sodium; D008274:Magnesium; D005947:Glucose; D011188:Potassium