Age‐related haematological changes and haemopathological responses in Chilean flamingos(Phoenicopterus chiliensis)

Abstract

SUMMARYFull blood counts and fibrinogen estimations were carried out on 49 clinically normal Chilean flamingos of different ages. Compared with adults, chicks aged 2-3 months showed low haemoglobin levels, red cell counts, packed cell volumes and mean cell haemoglobin concentrations. There was a rise in haemoglobin level and red cell count with increasing age but the mean cell haemoglobin concentration did not reach optimum until the birds were mature. In chicks the total white cell count was high and the number of heterophils was widely variable. Findings on four sick adult birds provided preliminary evidence that clinical haematology has a potential diagnostic value in this species. INTRODUCTIONFlamingos are among the most popular wild birds kept in Zoological collections and the veterinary care of these birds is an important component of avian medicine. There is evidence from studies on Rosy flamingos (Phoenicopterus tuber ruber) that clinical haematology can be of value for differential diagnosis and for monitoring the response of these birds to treatment (Bush and Smith, 1980;Hawkey et al, 1984). For full evaluation of blood counts on sick and normal individuals haematological reference values are required and these have only been published for Rosy flamingos, Greater flamingos (P.r. roseus) and Andean flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus) (Bush and Smith, 1980;von Seidel, 1980; Hawkey et al. 1982). This paper reports the results of a haematological survey on a further flamingo species, the Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chiliensis). Full blood counts and fibrinogen estimations were carried out on 49 healthy immature and adult birds and the findings used to calculate normal reference values for birds of different ages. These reference values were used as the basis for a preliminary assessment of haemopathological changes occurring in the four birds which developed abnormal clinical signs during the survey period.

Haematological parameters of the otrich (Struthio camelus)

“…The TWBC was higher in juvenile ostriches compared with adults, a finding also documented for Chilean flamingos (Hawkey et al, 1984a). The changes in the total number of leukocytes was accompanied by shifts in the differential count.…”

“…These low values were accompanied by relative microcytosis and hypochromia, which gradually increased with age reaching a maxiumum at maturity. A similar pattern has been demonstrated for MCHC in Chilean flamingos (Hawkey et al, 1984a). The fact that only slight differences in erythrocytic parameters could be detected between the sexes is surprising, as sex hormones are known to play a key role in erythrocyte production in birds (Bell and Freeman, 1971).…”

“…These shifts should be taken into account when attempting to use data as an aid to the diagnosis of diseases in ostriches of different ages. As in the case of ostriches, young Chilean flamingos were also found to have a higher heterophil count than adults (Hawkey et at, 1984a).…”

“…The occurrence of lower PCV, TRBC and Hb levels in young (compared with adult ostriches) is a feature of Rosy and Chilean flamingos, domestic fowl, geese and quail, and may be characteristic ofallavian species (Hawkey et al, 1984a). These low values were accompanied by relative microcytosis and hypochromia, which gradually increased with age reaching a maxiumum at maturity.…”

“…Clinical haematology is used extensively in avian medicine (Stoskopf etui., 1983a, b;Hawkey et al, 1983Hawkey et al, , 1984aColes, 1986). However, the lack of haematological data relating the normal values of ostriches in relation to age, sex and husbandry conditions, makes the task of clinical interpretation of results, and further diagnosis of disease difficult in this species.…”