BLOOD CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY AND PACKED CELL VOLUME OF THE CHINESE THREE-STRIPED BOX TURTLE,CUORA TRIFASCIATA(REPTILIA: GEOEMYDIDAE)

Abstract

Reference intervals for blood biochemical analytes and packed cell volume are useful to veterinarians and conservation programs for monitoring the health of threatened species. Populations of the critically endangered Chinese three-striped box turtle, Cuora trifasciata (Bell, 1825), are heavily depleted in the wild because of overharvesting; and many individuals are now maintained in captive breeding programs. Reference intervals of biochemical analytes and packed cell volume were established for individuals of this species held in a captive breeding program at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Hong Kong. Blood samples were obtained from 86 healthy individuals from a captive population during annual health examinations between 2006 and 2010. Packed cell volume and 17 biochemical analytes were measured, and data were analyzed using both multivariate and univariate statistical analyses. Significant differences in eight analytes between males and females were identified. Ten analytes were found to increase or decrease significantly with the body weight of the turtles. The reported plasma reference intervals, based on 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles, may serve as benchmarks for clinical assessment and conservation of this critically endangered species.

Reference Intervals in Avian and Exotic Hematology

“…No sex differences were reported for packed cell volume in Chinese 3-striped box turtles but higher red blood cell parameters were observed in male yellow-marginated box turtles. 11,18 Higher eosinophil counts were also observed in males in the latter study.…”

The Dominance of Introduced Plant Species in the Diets of Migratory Galapagos Tortoises Increases with Elevation on a Human‐Occupied Island

“…, Grioni et al . ). When used together, PCV and TS provide an assessment of hydration and anemia; higher values may indicate dehydration, reproductive activity in females, or a higher nutritional status (Campbell , Yang et al .…”

“…Nesting can reduce body weight rapidly in turtles, but our study occurred in the non-nesting season. The other metrics, PCV and TS are standard veterinary matrices used extensively as indicators of health in turtles (Deem et al 2006, Grioni et al 2014. When used together, PCV and TS provide an assessment of hydration and anemia; higher values may indicate dehydration, reproductive activity in females, or a higher nutritional status (Campbell 2006, Yang et al 2014).…”