Blood chemical parameters in the warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus

Concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, inorganic phosphorus, total calcium, total magnesium, albumin, total protein, cholesterol, urea, creatinine, cortisol as well as the activities of alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase were determined in serum specimens collected from 100 free-ranging warthogs Phacochoerus aethiopicus within five minutes after they were killed with a shotgun. Average concentrations for the following chemical constituents were found: sodium (145 mmol l-1), potassium (8.6 mmol l-1), chloride (102.5 mmol l-1), phosphorus (2.31 mmol l-1), calcium (2.93 mmol l-1), magnesium (1.23 mmol l-1), albumin (26.4 g l-1), serum proteins (62.2 g l-1), cholesterol (1.82 mmol l-1) and urea (8.74 mmol l-1). The cortisol concentrations ranged from 55-340 nmol l-1 (n = 30). Wide variations were recorded in the concentration of creatinine as well as in the activities of the various enzymes.