Biochemical parameters in subadult female dolphins (Grampus griseus)

The purpose of this study is to identify Reference Intervals of biochemical parameters in dolphins as there is limited information on blood parameters in this cetacean species. Reference Intervals are specific to the test methods and should be calculated from a group of healthy animals. In 3 years, 818 blood samples were collected from 9 pre-pubertal females hosted under human care during clinical routine checks. Blood was obtained from periarterial venous rete in the ventral side of the flukes and then placed in tubes without anticoagulant for serum. The fundamental biochemical parameters were determined and reported as mean sd In literature, studies on CHEM parameters for dolphins are rare. Some analytes, such as the lipoproteins profile, and cholesterol levels could also differ significantly due to the dietary habits of different genera. Establishment of reference intervals specific to the species or group (i.e. sex, age) is essential