Hematological and clinicochemical values for free-ranging pronghorn fawns

Abstract

From 1973 to 1975, inclusive, blood from 253 free-ranging pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) neonates in southeastern Alberta was obtained for hematological and clinicochemical determinations. Mean erythrocyte, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate values were 9.68 × 106/mm3, 39.7%, 14.6 g/dL, and 21.5 mm/24 h, respectively. Mean leukocyte number in fawns was 3.97 × 103/mm3 of which 62.9% were neutrophils. The high erythrocyte, hematocrit, and hemoglobin values may be a significant adaptive characteristic of pronghorn fawns. Mean clinicochemical values for pronghorn neonates included the following: calcium 12.4 mg/dL, magnesium 2.2 mg/dL, phosphorus 10.0 mg/dL, sodium 145.2 mequiv./L, potassium 6.23 mequiv./L, cholesterol 67.4 mg/dL, glucose 203.5 mg/dL, and creatinine 2.37 mg/dL. With respect to serum enzymes, mean values for glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (EC 2.6.1.1), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (EC 2.6.1.2). creatine phosphokinase (EC 2.7.3.2), and alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) were 106.48 Reitman–Frankel units (R.F.u.)/mL, 2.0 R.F.u./mL, 40.08 International Units (IU)/dL, and 29.64 King–Armstrong units (K.A.u.)/mL, respectively. The mean blood urea nitrogen value was 21.32 mg/dL and total protein value was 4.78 g/dL; the mean albumin:globulin ratio was 1.01. Significant variation of blood values was associated with year of sampling, number of fawns per doe, and sex of fawns. Many blood values were correlated significantly with physical and physiological characteristics of fawns and with environmental temperature and wind speed.