HAEMATOLOGY AND BLOOD CHEMISTRY OF THE RED KANGAROO MEGALEIA RUFA IN CAPTIVITY

Abstract

Haematology and biochemistry was performed to establish base line values on not less than 30 samples of blood and serum from 10 red kangaroos Megaleia rufa held in captivity. The kangaroos were apparently healthy. Ranges for results were: Haemoglobin 16-18 gm/100 ml, PCV 46-51%, erythrocytes 4.9 - 5.7 times 10(6)/mm3. MCV 86-98 mum3, MCH 30-34 pg, MCHC 34-36%, leucocytes 3.8 - 7.1 times 10(3)/mm3, neutrophils 2.0 - 4.7 times 10(3)/mm3, lymphocytes 1.2 - 2.4 times 10(3)/mm3, monocytes 0.1 - 0.3 times 10(3)/mm3, eosinophils 0.06 - 0.013 times 10(3)/mm3, SGOT 36-43 u/l, SGPT 30-41 u/l, LDH 30-85 u/l, protein 6.0-6.8 g/100 ml, albumin 2.8 - 3.4 g/100 ml, alpha globulin 0.3 - 0.7 g/100 ml, beta globulin 0.7 - 0.9 g/100 ml, gamma globulin 1.7 - 2.3 g/100 ml, albumin/globulin 0.8 - 1.1, Na+ 146-152 mEq/l, K+ 4.6 - 5.6 mEq/l. Rectal temperature was 36.8 +/- 0.3. High haemoglobin may be characteristic of wild animals and of animals which have a high level of muscular activity and large erythrocytes may be representative of marsupials. Haematology as a tool of ecological investigation and its role in future research is briefly discussed. A modified staining technique for performing differential blood cell counts is described.