Haematological findings in captive dolphins and whales |
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| Authors: | K SHIRAI T SAKAI |
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| Institution: | Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health, Nihon University School of Veterinary Medicine, 1866 Kameino, Fujisawa 252, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Objective To examine haematological features in five species of healthy, captive marine mammals.
Animals Twenty bottlenose dolphins ( Tursips truncatus ), seven Pacific white-sided dolphins ( Lagenorhynchus obliquidens ), five Risso dolphins ( Grampus griseus ) and five false killer whales ( Pseudorca crassidens ).
Results and conclusion The red blood cell count was 4.21 × 1012/L in bottlenose dolphins, 5.32 × 1012/L in Pacific white-sided dolphins, 4.35 × 1012/L in Risso dolphins and 4.43 × 1012/L in false killer whales. The haemoglobin concentration was 1.51 g/L and packed cell volume 44.7% in bottlenose dolphins; the corresponding values were 1.71 g/L and 48.9% in Pacific white-sided dolphins, 1.72 g/L and 49.4% in Risso dolphins, and 1.52 g/L and 47.8% in false killer whales. The white blood cell count was 7.097 × 109/L in bottlenose dolphins, 5.928 × 109/L in Pacific white-sided dolphins, 5.001 × 109/L in Risso dolphins and 7.921 × 109/L in false killer whales. There were no significant differences in these values among bottlenose dolphins and Pacific white-sided dolphins. The proportion of eosinophils in the differential leukocyte count ranged from 10.3% to 11.5% in bottlenose dolphins, Pacific white-sided dolphins and false killer whales, but was only 0.4% in Risso dolphins. The eosinophilic granules were larger in Risso dolphins and false killer whales than in bottlenose and Pacific white-sided dolphins. |
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| Keywords: | Dolphin haematology whale |
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