Hematologic and serum chemistry reference intervals for free-ranging lions (Panthera leo)

• Published in: Research in veterinary science Vol. 95; no. 1; pp. 266 - 268
• Main Authors: Maas, Miriam, Keet, Dewald F., Nielen, Mirjam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.08.2013; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: adults; Age Factors; alkaline phosphatase; Alkaline Phosphatase - blood; Animals; blood chemistry; blood serum; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Cholesterol - blood; Erythrocyte Count - veterinary; Erythrocyte Indices; Female; Globulins - metabolism; health status; Hematocrit - veterinary; Hematology; Hemoglobins - metabolism; Infections; Information systems; Leukocyte Count - veterinary; Linear Models; Lions; Lions - blood; Male; National parks; Panthera leo; Reference intervals; Reference Values; researchers; Serum Albumin - metabolism; Serum chemistry; Sex Factors; South Africa; Standard deviation; Studies; Veterinarians; Veterinary medicine; Viral infections; wildlife; South Africa; Kruger National Park; Panthera leo; Hematology; Serum chemistry; Reference intervals; Lions
• ISSN: 0034-5288; 1532-2661
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2013.01.023

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 (⩽36months) and adult (>36months) 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.