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Haematological and biochemical reference intervals in adult Maine Coon cat blood donors
Eva Spada1, Maria Teresa Antognoni2, Daniela Proverbio3
1Veterinary Transfusion Unit (REV), Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety (VESPA), University of Milan, Milan, Italy eva.spada@unimi.it.
Insights
New reference intervals (RIs) for Maine Coon cats are proposed, as existing feline RIs are often inappropriate. Breed-specific RIs improve diagnostic accuracy and donor selection for this unique cat breed.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Comparative Pathology
- Clinical Biochemistry
Background:
- Standard feline reference intervals (RIs) may not accurately reflect the physiological parameters of specific breeds like the Maine Coon.
- Accurate breed-specific RIs are crucial for precise diagnosis and health monitoring in veterinary practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish new haematological and biochemical reference intervals (RIs) for adult Maine Coon cats.
- To evaluate the suitability of existing general feline RIs for the Maine Coon breed.
- To investigate the influence of age, sex, and weight on haematological and biochemical values in Maine Coons.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of haematological and biochemical data from 81 healthy adult Maine Coon blood donors.
- Generation of new RIs using Reference Value-Advisor software, adhering to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathology guidelines.
- Comparison of derived RIs with established non-breed-specific feline RIs.
Main Results:
- Proposed new RIs for several haematological parameters (e.g., RBC count, MCV, MCHC) and biochemical analytes (e.g., urea, AST, GGT, albumin) in Maine Coons.
- Identified significant differences in haematocrit between sexes and correlation with weight in Maine Coons.
- Observed higher GGT and albumin levels in female Maine Coons compared to males.
Conclusions:
- General feline RIs are often inadequate for adult Maine Coon cats, necessitating breed-specific intervals.
- Breed-specific variations in haematological and biochemical parameters are likely present in Maine Coons.
- Implementing these new RIs will enhance diagnostic accuracy and aid in selecting optimal blood donors for this breed.
Objectives:
The objectives of this study were to derive Maine Coon haematological and biochemical reference intervals (RIs) from adult healthy blood donors, to validate (or reject) the use of published RIs for the general feline population in this breed, and to evaluate the effects of age, sex and weight on the haematological and biochemical results.
Methods:
Haematological and biochemical data were retrieved retrospectively from a database of 81 healthy adult Maine Coon cat blood donors and were analysed to generate normal RIs. RIs were determined and compared with established non-breed-specific feline RIs according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines and the American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathology guidelines using Reference Value-Advisor (version 2.1) software.
Results:
The age of the cats ranged from 1-8 years (mean 4.4 years), 42 were female and 39 were male, and weights ranged from 4.9-8.5 kg (mean 6.7 kg). New Maine Coon RIs were proposed for red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, reticulocyte count and percentage. Haematocrit was higher in male cats (mean HCT 42.9% vs 41% in females; P = 0.001) and in heavier cats (P = 0.003; slope 1.0, regression equation HCT = 35.1 + 1.0 × weight). New biochemical RIs were proposed for urea, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase, total protein and albumin in Maine Coons. Females had higher GGT (median GGT value in females 4.0 vs 3.0 in males; P = 0.011) and albumin values (mean albumin value 3.3 in females vs 3.1 in males; P = 0.013).
Conclusions And Relevance:
Currently published RIs for some haematological and biochemical parameters are not appropriate for use in adult Maine Coon cats. A breed-specific variation could be a plausible explanation for the new haematological and serum biochemical analytes proposed in this study. Breed-specific RIs for Maine Coon cats will help prevent misinterpretation of laboratory results in diagnosis and in the selection of ideal blood donors.
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