Select Venous Analytes and Fibrinogen Determination Using Two Methods in Brown Pelicans

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Wildlife Rehabilitation
• Clinical Pathology

Background:

• Brown pelicans face threats from environmental disasters and human activities, requiring medical care.
• Accurate diagnostic and monitoring tools are crucial for rehabilitating brown pelicans.
• Existing reference intervals for this species are outdated and based on small sample sizes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish updated reference intervals for venous analytes in brown pelicans.
• To assess the suitability of the Abaxis VSPro for measuring fibrinogen in avian species.

Main Methods:

• Blood samples were collected from 71 presumed healthy brown pelicans during pre-release examinations.
• Analyzed venous analytes using Abaxis VS2 Avian/Reptile Chemistry panel, iSTAT CG4+, and iSTAT Chem8+.
• Measured fibrinogen using heat precipitation (gold standard) and the Abaxis VSPro for comparison.

Main Results:

• Proposed reference intervals for various blood analytes in brown pelicans were determined.
• Fibrinogen measurements from the Abaxis VSPro were not comparable to the gold standard method.
• The Abaxis VSPro is not recommended for fibrinogen analysis in brown pelicans.

Conclusions:

• This study provides essential updated reference intervals for brown pelican hematology and clinical chemistry.
• The findings highlight the limitations of the Abaxis VSPro for avian fibrinogen testing.
• Accurate species-specific reference intervals are vital for effective wildlife rehabilitation and conservation.