1. Health status assessment of traumatic injury freshwater turtles.
- Author
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Savo APH, Zheng Y, Zheng Y, and Lewbart GA
- Subjects
- Animals, Blood Chemical Analysis statistics & numerical data, Blood Chemical Analysis veterinary, Blood Gas Analysis statistics & numerical data, Blood Gas Analysis veterinary, Blood Proteins analysis, Conservation of Natural Resources, Decision Trees, Female, Fresh Water, Health Status, Hematocrit statistics & numerical data, Hematocrit veterinary, Logistic Models, Male, North Carolina, Prognosis, Turtles blood, Turtles injuries
- Abstract
A group of injured yellow-bellied sliders (Trachemys scripta) and river cooters (Pseudemys concinna) were evaluated for a variety of health values at presentation to the NC State Turtle Rescue Team and prior to release. An i-STAT Portable Clinical Analyzer and CG8+ cartridges were used to determine venous blood gas and biochemical values, the packed cell volume (PCV) and total protein were evaluated using hematocrit tubes and high speed centrifugation, and a differential WBC percentage was determined manually with Diff-Quick stained blood smear slides. Forty-six turtles were sampled on presentation and twenty-three of those were sampled again prior to release. Blood values were analyzed for significant differences between samples collected at presentation and prior to release, as well as differences between surviving and non-surviving turtles. Five variables were identified as significantly different between presenting and recuperated samples: pH, pCO2, Glu, % heterophils, and % eosinophils. When comparing samples between turtles that survived versus those that did not, two variables were identified as being significant prognostic indicators; lactate and PCV. Identification of these significant variables can aid in determining patient prognosis and triage therapy for injured aquatic turtles., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Published
- 2018
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