Coagulation Profile of the Healthy Miranda’s Donkey

Abstract

Miranda’s donkey, originating in northern Portugal, is an autochthonous breed that is deeply intertwined with the region’s culture and economy. Knowledge of the physiological characteristics of the breed is important for its preservation, and several studies have been carried out, but none have focused on its coagulation profile. The aim of this study was to establish reference intervals (RIs) for coagulation in healthy Miranda’s donkey and to assess the influence of sex and age. Blood samples from 75 clinically healthy animals were analyzed for seven coagulation parameters: four using IDEXX ProCyte Dx and three using Start® 4-Diagnostica-Stago. The RI values were calculated following the ASVCP guidelines and with the Reference Advisor V.2.1 software. To analyze the influence of sex and age, SPSS version 29 was used. No significant differences were found between sexes (p > 0.05), but statistically significant differences were found between ages (p < 0.05) for platelet count and plateletcrit (both higher in young animals). The RIs described here can help monitor health and guide the diagnosis and treatment of diseased Miranda’s donkeys, contributing to their preservation. Our study encourages further research on coagulation in donkeys and the use of different methodologies to obtain information for veterinarians working with this species.