HEMATOLOGIC AND PLASMA BIOCHEMICAL REFERENCE VALUES OF THE HORNED GUAN,OREOPHASIS DERBIANUS

Abstract

The horned guan (Oreophasis derbianus) is an endangered species with small and seriously fragmented wild populations. Breeding efforts during the last decade have maintained a slowly increasing captive population with the potential to play an important role in the recovery of the species. Clinical hematology and biochemistries are powerful tools to diagnose and monitor diseases in captive birds. Therefore, establishing hematologic and plasma biochemistry reference values will improve the medical management of this species. This study determines the reference values for 9 hematologic and 15 plasma biochemical variables for 27 male and 12 female, apparently healthy, captive horned guans from three institutions. Differences related to age, sex, and husbandry were identified but were usually small and clinically insignificant. These results should improve veterinary care of captive individuals of this species and provide comparative data for other species of cracids.

Reference Intervals in Avian and Exotic Hematology

“…15 Males were also reported to have better body condition. In a recent study of horned guan, 16 juvenile males were found to have higher red blood cell parameters. This finding was also observed in 2 species of endangered parrots from Brazil (red-capped parrot and the vinaceous Amazon parrot).…”

“…16 Broad RI were generated for outbred and inbred strains of albino mice from several different vendors, but the investigators acknowledged a variability among white blood cell parameters by institution. 20 Significant differences in white blood and red blood cell parameters were observed in Wistar rats obtained from 2 different breeders.…”