Determination of serum biochemical reference intervals for the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus)

Biochemical reference intervals were determined for 31 clinically healthy Iberian lynxes (Lynx pardinus) between 1 and 6 years of age. Thirteen of the lynxes were wild-caught and the other 18 were captive-reared animals. The samples were collected between November 2004 and December 2006. The influence of sex (males vs. females), age (juveniles vs. adults) and habitat condition (free-living vs. captive) on the biochemical analytes were evaluated. Serum albumin concentrations were significantly higher in females than in males, while creatine phosphokinase was higher in males. The levels of alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase were higher in juvenile lynxes, while gamma glutamyl-transferase and creatinine values were higher in adults. Lynxes captured in the wild had higher concentrations of iron, calcium, alkaline phosphatase and creatinine, but lower aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase than lynxes maintained in captivity. The results were generally comparable to commonly reported reference intervals for other lynx species, the domestic cat and other felid species.