Reference intervals in avian and exotic hematology.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Laboratory Science
• Animal Health

Background:

• Reference intervals (RI) historically varied in generation methods and sample sizes.
• Veterinary medicine is adopting human laboratory medicine guidelines for RI.
• Challenges exist in applying these guidelines to avian and exotic species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the adoption of established guidelines for reference interval generation in veterinary medicine.
• To explore methods for generating reference intervals with limited sample sizes, particularly for special animal species.
• To highlight the importance of understanding diverse RI generation techniques for advancing special species diagnostics.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical RI generation practices.
• Examination of adopted veterinary guidelines for RI.
• Analysis of statistical approaches for small sample sizes (20-40 samples).
• Exploration of alternative methods for RI determination.

Main Results:

• Standardized RI generation is crucial but challenging for non-traditional species.
• Small sample sets (20-40) can be statistically managed for RI.
• Alternative methodologies offer viable solutions for RI establishment.

Conclusions:

• Adoption of veterinary guidelines is progressing for RI generation.
• Statistical methods and alternative approaches enable RI creation for special species.
• Knowledge of diverse RI generation techniques is vital for future advancements in special species diagnostics.