 Reference Base  Blood chemical parameters in free-living white rhinoceros... |
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Heerden, J. van; Keffen, R.H.; Kuhn, F.; Rogers, P.; Morkel, P.; Atalia, N.; Raath, J.P.; Kernes, D.J., 1985. Blood chemical parameters in free-living white rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association 56: 187-189, figs. 1-2, tables 1-3
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| Location: |
World |
| Subject: |
Physiology |
| Species: |
White Rhino |
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Very limited information on baseline laboratory data for the white rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum has been published. This paper presents data on the basic blood chemistry and serum hormone concentrations in the free-living white rhinoceros.
Material and Methods
Twenty free-living rhinoceroses, 8 males and 12 females of which 16 were adults and 4 subadults were immobilized with varying dosages of etorphine hydrochloride (M99, R & C Pharmaceuticals), azaperone (Stresnil, Janssen) and fentenyl (Fentenyl, Janssen). Animals were immobilized between 07h06 and 11h05 and blood specimens were collected in evacuated tubes (Vac-u-test, Radem Laboratory Equipment, Wijnberg) from an ear vein between 5 - 80 min after administration of the immo)bilizing agent (Table 1). The blood was centrifuged ithin 1,5 h of collection and the serum subsequently stored at - 4?C until analyzed in the laboratory.
Serum specimens were analysed for sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), aspartate transaminase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), albumin (Alb) and total proteins (TP) as described.
The serum levels of cortisol, progesterone and oestradiol-17 Beta were determined by radio-immunosays utilizing the following kits: Clinical Assays Gamma Coat, Cortisol Radioinimunosay Kit (Division of Travenol Laboratories, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts); Coat-A-Coat Progesterone (Diagnostic Products Corporation, 5700 West 96th Street, Los Angeles, Ca 90045) and EIR radioimmunoassay (Radio Isotopen Service, Eidg Institut f?r Reaktorforschung, 5304 Wilrenlingen/Schweiz).
Results
The results of serum chemical analyses are presented in Table 2. Serum enzyme concentrations (AST, CK, LDH, GGT, ALP) showed different degrees of individual variation. A very high concentration of CK (1800) was measured in one animal which was darted 4 times before it was eventually immobilized. Unusually high concentrations of GGT (> 3350 and 165 U/l) were recorded in two animals. The densitometric scan of the serum proteins is presented in Fig 1. The cellulose acetate membrane on which serum protein electrophoresis of the rhinoceros is compared to that of the dog, human and horse is presented in Fig. 2. The different globulin fractions in the rhinoceros could not be clearly identified and were empirically designated as alpha, beta 1, beta 2 and globulin fractions.
The results of assays for cortisol, oestradiol-17 Beta and progesterone are presented in Table 3. The highest concentration of cortisol was recorded in animal # 22 which was darted twice before eventually immobilized. Low but detectable concentrations of oestradiol-17 Beta and progesterone were found in the serum of males.
Table 1: Time darted, time lapse between darted and blood collection of blood specimens and age of white rhinoceroses
Animal Sex Age class Time Time lapse between Remarks
Number A=Adult Darted and blood
S=subad. Collection (min)
4 0 A 11h05 5
5 0 S 09h57 21
6 0 A 07h47 23
7 0 S 08h12 13
9 0 A 08h12 16
10 0 A 07h55 22
12 0 A 08h56 16
13 0 S 07h15 25
14 0 A 09h07 33
15 0 A 09h32 28
16 0 A 07h15 45
17 0 A 09h58 17
18 0 A 07h41 14
19 0 A 07h31 19
20 0 A 07h54 21
21 0 A 07h41 80 4 darts used; profuse sweating, respiratory rate 20/min; pulse rate 150/min
22 0 A 07h36 69 2 darts used; profuse sweating, heart rate 156/min
23 0 S 07h06 39
24 0 A 07h50 18
26 0 A 08h20 14
Table 2. Consentration of serum chemical constituents in white rhinoceroses
n x SD range
Na (mmol/l) 20 129.6 4.2 122-138
K (mmol/l) 20 5.4 2.6 4,8 - 8,7
Cl (mmol/l) 20 94.2 3.05 90-101
AST (U/l) 20 40 14.6 23-93
CK (U/l) 17 48 14.1 24 - 72
LDH (u/l) 20 526 126.1 335 - 925
GGT(U/l) 18 7,6 2,8 2 - 13
ALP (U/l) 20 127 33,2 66- 189
ALT (U/l) 20 8,6 3,7 2- 20
TP g/l 92,7 20 92.7 9,0 75 - 107
Alb g/l 20 26,1 3,7 17,8 - 31.3
alpha 1 g/l 20 2,3 1,1 0,4 - 4.0
alpha 2g/l 20 32,0 10,5 3,9- 43.1
beta g/l 20 23,6 6,7 13,5 - 30.7
gamma g/l 20 16,0 17,1 7,3-41.1
*three animals with CK concentrations of respectively, 200,559 and 1800 U/l were excluded.
** two animals with GGT concentrations of respectively >3350 and 165 U/l were excluded
Table 3: Serum cortisol, oestradiol-17 Beta and progesterone concentration in white rhinoceros
Animal No Cortisol oestradiol Progesterone
nmol/l pmol/l nmol/l
4 5.7 13.7 7,4
5 17.5 10.9 0.4
6 20.9 - -
7 10,3 6,8 0,8
9 16,7 - -
10 9.1 8,6 0,5
12 10,2 - -
13 5,9 8,0 8,0
14 50,1 85,7 81,7
15 4,7 17,9 2,9
16 19,8 17,2 86,8
17 6,7 50,4 62,7
18 32,3 - -
19 22,0 15,2 5,9
20 13,9 22,1 106,2
21 14,6 - -
22 122,5 23,8 <0,3
23 109,6 - -
24 17,0 1,5 7.7
26 15,4 17,2 9.8
Discussion
The presented serum chemistry results as well as serum cortisol concentrations may be regarded as baseline values for free-living white rhinoceroses immobilized as described.
The relatively low serum sodium (129.6 ? 4.2 mmol/l), serum chloride (94,2 ? 3,1 mmol/l) as well as relatively high total protein (92,7 ? 9.0 g/l) concentrations are interesting findings. In the horse and mountain zebra Equus zebra zebra, average concentrations for sodium, chloride and total proteins are in the order of respectively 140 mmol/l, 100 mmol/l and 70 g/l. Seal et al. however, reported an average serum sodium concentration of 139 mmol/l, an average serum chloride concentration of 95 mmol/l andan average serum total protein concentration of 76 g/l. in captive white rhinoceros. The average serum albumin concentration in this investigation (26,1 g/l is in agreement with the values published by Seal et al.. and Hattlingh et al. The majorr part of the serum proteins consisted of globulins (73,85 g/l) and these may perhaps play a relatively more important role in plasma oncotic pressure than in most other mammals. Hattingh et al, however, could not find a significant statistical correlation between the colloid osmotic pressure and the albumin concentration, total serum protein concentration and the albumin globulin ratio. An investigation into the physiology of the circulatory system of this massive barrel-shaped mammal which may have a body mass of 2300 kg may well explain these interesting blood chemistry findings.
The presented peripheral serum cortisol concentratlions are in agreement with those reported by Seal et al. These values are low in comparison to values reported in horses and mountain zebra. It has been suggested by Seal et al. that cortisol may not be the predominant adrenal corticosteroid in the rhinoceros. Two individuals, however, in this investigations had serum concentrations considerably higher than the rest. Blood specimens in these animals were also collected slightly longer after immobilization than in most of the other animals and one individual was also stressed to a greater extent in that it was darted twice. It is, however, interesting to note that # 21 which was immobilized four times and from which blood was only collected after 80 minutes, had a very low peripheral serum cortisol concentration. Knowledge of what had happened to the hinos before they were immobilized could perhaps have clarified the situation.
Serum oestradiol-17 Beta and progesterone concentrations are presented in full realization of thee fact that the technique employed human serum and that single hormone assays are of extremely limited value. Assays were, however, undertaken in the hope that they could he of help in making a clinical diagnosis of pregnancy. Pregnancy was suspected in females 14 and 17 because of the comparatively high concentrations of oeastradiol-17 Beta and progesterone. This assumption was based on extrapolation of data in mares where certain stages of pregnancy are characterized by relatively high circulating concentrations of oeastradiol-17 Beta and prgesterone. Pregnancies were subsequently confirmed in females 14, 16, 17 and 20 by known calving dates in the field. When subtracting immobilization dates from a 16 months gestation period, these females were respectively 10, 12, 10 and 14 months pregnant at the time of capture. Systematic investigation is, however, needed to clarify serum hormonal fluctuations in the white rhinoceros.
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