Hematology and biochemistry reference values for the light horse

Area of Science:

• Equine Medicine
• Veterinary Clinical Pathology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Establishing reliable reference intervals is critical for accurate diagnosis and health monitoring in horses.
• Existing reference ranges may not adequately represent specific equine populations, such as horses in training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine and present reference hematology and biochemistry intervals for Thoroughbred mares, foals, and Standardbred horses undergoing training.
• To provide a robust dataset for veterinary clinicians and researchers for comparative analysis.

Main Methods:

• Blood samples were collected from 60 Thoroughbred mares, 12 Thoroughbred foals, and 50 Standardbred horses in training.
• Hematological and biochemical variables were analyzed, with data examined for outliers and distribution.
• Statistical analysis employed parametric or nonparametric methods based on data distribution to estimate 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles.

Main Results:

• Reference intervals were established for key hematological and biochemical parameters in the studied equine populations.
• Detailed descriptions of sample collection, laboratory methods, and statistical analyses are provided.

Conclusions:

• The established reference intervals serve as valuable tools for assessing the health status of clinical equine populations.
• This study facilitates informed clinical decision-making and further research in equine veterinary medicine.