We collected blood from 18 beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), live-captured in Bristol Bay, Alaska, USA, in May and September 2008, to establish baseline hematologic and serum chemistry values and to determine whether there were significant differences in hematologic values by sex, season, size/age, or time during the capture period. Whole blood was collected within an average of 19 min (range=11–30 min) after the net was set for capture, and for eight animals, blood collection was repeated in a later season after between 80–100 min; all blood was processed within 12 hr. Mean hematocrit, chloride, creatinine, total protein, albumin, and alkaline phosphatase were significantly lower in May than they were in September, whereas mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, monocytes, phosphorous, magnesium, blood urea nitrogen, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase, and creatinine kinase were significantly higher. Mean total protein, white blood cell count, neutrophils, and lymphocytes were significantly higher early in the capture period than they were later. No significant differences in blood analyte values were noted between males and females. Using overall body length as a proxy for age, larger (older) belugas had lower white blood cell, lymphocyte, and eosinophil counts as well as lower sodium, potassium, and calcium levels but higher creatinine levels than smaller belugas. These data provide values for hematology and serum chemistry for comparisons with other wild belugas.
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January 01 2012
SEASONAL HEMATOLOGY AND SERUM CHEMISTRY OF WILD BELUGA WHALES (DELPHINAPTERUS LEUCAS) IN BRISTOL BAY, ALASKA, USA
Stephanie A. Norman;
Stephanie A. Norman
9
1 Pathology, Microbiology, Immunology Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, USA
9 Corresponding author (email: whaledoctor@gmail.com)
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Caroline E. C. Goertz;
Caroline E. C. Goertz
2 Alaska SeaLife Center, PO Box 1329, Seward, Alaska 99664, USA
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Kathy A. Burek;
Kathy A. Burek
3 Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services, 23834 The Clearing Drive, Eagle River, Alaska 99577, USA
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Lori T. Quakenbush;
Lori T. Quakenbush
4 Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701, USA
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Leslie A. Cornick;
Leslie A. Cornick
5 Department of Environmental Science, Alaska Pacific University, 4101 University Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508, USA
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Tracy A. Romano;
Tracy A. Romano
6 Mystic Aquarium, a division of Sea Research Foundation, Inc, 55 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, Connecticut 06355, USA
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Tracey Spoon;
Tracey Spoon
6 Mystic Aquarium, a division of Sea Research Foundation, Inc, 55 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, Connecticut 06355, USA
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Woutrina Miller;
Woutrina Miller
1 Pathology, Microbiology, Immunology Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, USA
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Laurel A. Beckett;
Laurel A. Beckett
7 Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA
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Roderick C. Hobbs
Roderick C. Hobbs
8 National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington 98115, USA
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J Wildl Dis (2012) 48 (1): 21–32.
Article history
Received:
February 20 2011
Accepted:
August 05 2011
Citation
Stephanie A. Norman, Caroline E. C. Goertz, Kathy A. Burek, Lori T. Quakenbush, Leslie A. Cornick, Tracy A. Romano, Tracey Spoon, Woutrina Miller, Laurel A. Beckett, Roderick C. Hobbs; SEASONAL HEMATOLOGY AND SERUM CHEMISTRY OF WILD BELUGA WHALES (DELPHINAPTERUS LEUCAS) IN BRISTOL BAY, ALASKA, USA. J Wildl Dis 1 January 2012; 48 (1): 21–32. doi: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-48.1.21
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