Composition of cerebrospinal fluid in healthy adult llamas

• Published in: American journal of veterinary research Vol. 55; no. 8; p. 1075
• Main Authors: Welles, E.G, Pugh, D.G, Wenzel, J.G.W, Sorjonen, D.C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.1994
• Subjects: ACTIVIDAD ENZIMATICA; ACTIVITE ENZYMATIQUE; ALBUMINAS; ALBUMINE; Animals; Camelids, New World - blood; Camelids, New World - cerebrospinal fluid; Cattle; Cell Count; Central Nervous System Diseases - cerebrospinal fluid; Central Nervous System Diseases - diagnosis; Central Nervous System Diseases - veterinary; Cerebrospinal Fluid - chemistry; Cerebrospinal Fluid - cytology; Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins - analysis; CHLORURE; CLORUROS; COMPOSICION DE LA SANGRE; COMPOSICION QUIMICA; COMPOSITION CHIMIQUE; COMPOSITION DU SANG; CONTENIDO PROTEICO; CONTEO DE CELULAS; CREATINA QUINASA; CREATINE KINASE; Creatine Kinase - cerebrospinal fluid; Electrolytes - cerebrospinal fluid; Female; FLUIDO CEREBROESPINAL; GLUCOSA; GLUCOSE; Glucose - cerebrospinal fluid; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - cerebrospinal fluid; LACTATE DESHYDROGENASE; LACTATO DESHIDROGENASA; LAMA; LEUCOCITOS; LEUCOCYTE; LIQUIDE CEPHALORACHIDIEN; LLAMA; Male; Metastrongyloidea; NUMERATION CELLULAIRE; POTASIO; POTASSIUM; PRESION OSMOTICA; PRESSION OSMOTIQUE; Reference Values; SODIO; SODIUM; Species Specificity; Strongylida Infections - cerebrospinal fluid; Strongylida Infections - diagnosis; Strongylida Infections - veterinary; TENEUR EN PROTEINES
• ISSN: 0002-9645; 1943-5681
• DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.1994.55.08.1075

Cerebrospinal fluid and serum were obtained from 17 adult, healthy llamas (9 males, 1 castrated male, and 7 females). Osmolality; activities of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase; and concentrations of glucose, sodium, chloride, potassium, total protein, and albumin were determined in serum and CSF. Total and differential cell counts were determined in CSF, and electrophoresis of CSF proteins was performed. Total nucleated cell count was low, 0 to 3/microliter, which is lower than that reported for other domestic species and is similar to values in healthy people. Differential leukocyte percentages were disparate depending on the degree of blood contamination. Blood contamination influenced the percentage of neutrophils and eosinophils in CSF. Samples with few erythrocytes had differential leukocyte distribution similar to that of other species: mostly lymphocytes, fewer monocytoid cells, and scant neutrophils. Older llamas had a few eosinophils in the CSF. Total protein, albumin, and gamma-globulin concentrations in llamas were similar to values in cattle and were higher than values in most domestic species. Glucose concentration in CSF was approximately 40% of the value in serum (nonruminant animals and people typically have CSF glucose concentration that is approximately 60 to 80% of the serum glucose concentration). Sodium and Cl concentrations in CSF were higher than those in serum, whereas K concentration was lower in CSF, compared with serum. Activities of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase in CSF were markedly lower than those in serum, and the ranges of values in this group of healthy llamas were narrow