Saving Lives: Critical Blood Analytes for Rehabilitation of Coastal Birds

Abstract

Coastal bird species are often affected by oil spills and can suffer damage to the kidneys, adrenal glands, salt glands, and gastrointestinal tract. Although hypothermia is often touted as the proximate cause of avian death in oil spill events, birds can ultimately succumb to these petroleum product-related injuries based on blood electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities caused by multiple organ dysfunction. However detection and treatment of these analyte abnormalities remains challenging because we know little of the nature of analytes in the healthy water bird. Blood samples were obtained from free living and rehabilitated healthy Mottled ducks (Anas fulvigula), Black-bellied whistling ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis), Yellow-Crowned Night Herons (Nyctanassa violacea) and Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) from 2008–2012. Blood gas, electrolyte, and select biochemical and hematological parameters were determined in the field with a patient side analyzer while complete blood counts, packed cell volumes and osmolalities were determined by standard laboratory methods. Reference intervals and 95% confidence intervals were determined and the effect of age, sex, body condition, time and date of sampling were also assessed for all analytes. Species, lifestyle, environment, and diet all appear to have an effect on “normal” electrolyte and acid base analytes in coastal birds. An increased plasticity of and tolerance to change in blood analytes may be a normal finding in these species which may facilitate care in the response setting. The reference intervals of apparently healthy coastal birds differed from mammalian values in some instances, however these intervals will assist in the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of these species in rehabilitation and oil spill response. These values can be used to assist biologists, rehabilitators and veterinarians in assessment, management and treatment of avian species in the event of environmental disturbance, such as oil spill, draught, or tropical storm as well as to assess overall ecosystem health via coastal birds as indicator species.

Hematology and biochemistry of critically endangered radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata): Reference intervals in previously confiscated subadults and variability based on common techniques

“…They could be similarly informative in directing resources during tortoise confiscation events, though measuring even these two analytes may be challenging during large scale confiscations in low resource settings. After triage and when resources allow, hematology and biochemistry reference intervals can be used to help guide clinical care of confiscated tortoises just as they are used for a wide variety of taxa in rehabilitation settings [ 13 , 61 – 64 ]. These reference intervals also contribute to evaluating the health status of tortoises prior to release, as was the context of this study, with the goal of identifying and removing tortoises with evidence of disease from the release population [ 10 , 65 ].…”

Health Status of Great Frigatebirds (Fregata minor) Determined by Haematology, Biochemistry, Blood Gases, and Physical Examination

“…Secondly, since our research team has access to several of the devices, we are able to keep research costs low, and have valuable backup equipment in the field. Finally, the veterinary literature is rich with studies that have utilized the iSTAT for avian health assessment from a variety of species ( Steinmetz et al , 2007 ; Harms and Harms, 2012 ; Rettenmund et al , 2014 ; Harter et al , 2015 ; Ratliff et al , 2014 , 2017 ).…”