Open Jou nal o Ve e ina y Medicine, 2014, 4, 255-260
Published Online No embe 2014 in SciRes. h p://www.sci p.o g/jou nal/oj m
h p://dx.doi.o g/10.4236/oj m.2014.411030
How o ci e his pape : Ko honen, H.T. and Huuki, H. (2014) Se um Biochemis y and Hema ology in Blue Fox (Vulpes
lagopus). Open Jou nal o Ve e ina y Medicine, 4, 255-260. h p://dx.doi.o g/10.4236/oj m.2014.411030
Se um Biochemis y and Hema ology in Blue
Fox (Vulpes lagopus)
Hannu T. Ko honen, Hanna Huuki
MTT Ag i ood Resea ch Finland, Animal P oduc ion Resea ch, Kannus, Finland
Email: [email p o ec ed]
Recei ed 20 Sep embe 2014; e ised 25 Oc obe 2014; accep ed 4 No embe 2014
Copy igh © 2014 by au ho s and Scien i ic Resea ch Publishing Inc.
This wo k is licensed unde he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion In e na ional License (CC BY).
h p://c ea i ecommons.o g/licenses/by/4.0/
Abs ac
The blue ox (Vulpes lagopus) is a colou mu a ion o wild a c ic ox. I is commonly a med o i s
u . The aim o he p esen s udy was o analyse a baseline biochemical p o ile o se um om adul
a med blue oxes du ing pel ing season. Se um biochemical p o ile can be used la e on as a e -
e ence in chemical analysis o blood se um. Biochemical p o ile he e consis s o li e enzymes
alanine amino ans e ase (ALAT), aspa a a e amino anas e ase (ASAT), alkaline phospaha ase
(ALP), and o al bili ubin (T-BIL); kidney unc ion subs ances c ea inine, u ea and ino ganic
phospha e (Pi); muscle enzyme c ea inine kinase (CK); glucose (GLUK) om panc eas; se um o al
p o eins (PROT) and albumin (ALB); elec oly es po assium (K), na ium (Na), chlo ide (CL), cal-
cium (S-Ca); and lipids such as o al choles e ol (T-Cho). Fo some o he measu ed pa ame e s
e e ence alues we e also a ailable om p e ious s udies. Ce ain alues we e close o hose
p e iously published bu some di e ed ma kedly. These di e ences can be explained by di e -
ences e.g. in echniques, condi ions, uni epo s, and b eed and age o he animals. The p esen
s udy addi ionally e iewed p e iously published haema ological da a conce ning small blood
coun , i.e. hemoglobin, hema oc i , whi e blood cells and ed blood cells. Summa ized ma e ial e-
ealed ha hese a iables a e e y simila despi e o s udy and animal ma e ial. Thus, small
blood coun can be eliably used o sc een gene al wel a e s a us o a med blue oxes. The e e -
ence alues p esen ed in his pape will be aluable as a guide o clinical diagnosis and esea ch.
Keywo ds
Fa m-Raised Fox, Blood Analysis, Haema ology, Animal Wel a e, Small Blood Pic u e
1. In oduc ion
Se um is he liquid po ion o blood. I is ex ac ed om blood sample by spinning down o cen i uging he
sample o sepa a e cellula componen s and coagula ion ac o s o blood om he liquid pa . Se um biochemis-
H. T. Ko honen, H. Huuki
256
y e e s o he chemical analysis o blood se um. The analysis can include many di e en es s, each o which
p o ides a ge ed in o ma ion abou one o mo e o gans [1]. Assessmen o he es esul s may indica e which
o gan sys em is a ec ed, and may p o ide aluable in o ma ion abou he na u e and se e i y o he p oblem o
disease [2]. Biochemical p o ile o se um is ypically species-speci ic [3]. Howe e , o example in oxes, he
concen a ions o se um biochemical indica o s seem o be ai ly simila o he e e ence alues p e iously e-
po ed o he dog [4] [5].
The mos common ox species aised o i s u a e he blue ox, a colou mu a ion o wild a c ic ox (Vulpes
lagopus), and he sil e ox, a colou mu a ion o ed ox (Vulpes ulpes). Fa ming his o y o bo h ox species is
abou 100 yea s old. Ea lies e alua ions on haema ology and blood biochemis y in a med oxes we e pub-
lished o e 70 - 80 yea s ago [6]-[8]. These da a a e om ed and sil e oxes. As conce ns blue oxes, ea lies
haema ology sc eenings de i e om 1980’s [2] [3] [9] [10]. Some haema ology and se um biochemis y e alua-
ions ha e also been made o wild a c ic oxes [11] [12]. The la es haema ological measu emen s ega ding
a m- aised oxes we e published by [13] and [14]. A o al se um biochemical p o ile, howe e , is lacking om
a med blue oxes. The small blood coun is bes illus a ed by [15] and [16].
The pu pose o he cu en s udy was o sc een baseline se um biochemical p o ile o adul a m- aised blue
oxes du ing pel ing season. A selec ed g oup o es s o se um biochemis y applied o dog-like canids we e
employed. P e iously published haema ological da a in a med blue oxes mainly includes small blood coun
[15] [16]. The second aim was o summa ize he exis ing da a o backg ound sc eening o gene al heal h s a us.
2. Ma e ial and Me hods
2.1. Animals and Heal h E alua ion
The p esen s udy was ca ied ou a he Fu Fa ming Resea ch S a ion o MTT, in Kannus, wes e n Finland
(63.54˚N, 23.54˚E). The use o expe imen al animals was e alua ed and app o ed by he Animal Ca e Commi -
ee o MTT Ag i ood Resea ch Finland. Heal h o animals was isually checked daily. Heal h e alua ion was
based on gene al appea ance o animals, including consis ence o aeces.
The animals we e bo n a he Fu Fa ming Resea ch S a ion in Kannus. Blood samples we e aken om i -
een 21 mon hs old emale blue oxes in No embe . Because o a i icial insemina ion, adul emales a e mo e
common han adul males on a ms. The e o e, only emales we e used he e. Body weigh s o animals we e
measu ed wi h a Me le SM 15 balance, accu acy ±1 g. Be o e sampling, expe imen al animals we e kep in
wi e-mesh cages measu ing 105 cm long × 115 cm wide × 70 cm high. Each cage had a wi e-mesh pla o m
(105 cm long × 25 cm wide) and a wooden block o chewing (diame e 7 cm, leng h 35 cm). Daily ou ine
ea men s we e conduc ed acco ding o s anda d a ming p ocedu es [16]-[18]. Feed composi ion was based on
he ecommenda ions o he Finnish Fu B eede s’ Associa ion [13] [18]. Wa e ing was au oma ic ad libi um.
2.2. Blood Collec ion and Analysis
Animals we e clinically heal hy a he ime o blood collec ion. They we e as ed o e nigh p io o blood sam-
pling. Each ox was manually es ained and blood was collec ed om he jugula ein h ough a 20-gauge nee-
dle in o a sy inge. Se um and plasma we e sepa a ed by double cen i uga ion. Fo he se um biochemical
e alua ion, 3 mL blood samples we e cen i uged a 3000 pm o 10 min wi hin 1 h o collec ion. Se a we e
s o ed a −80˚C in a eeze p io o analysis.
Se um biochemical assays (Table 1) we e ca ied ou by using an au oma ic analyze (Shimadzu CL-7200,
Kyo o, Japan), and au oma ic elec oly e analyze (Ciba-Co ning 644, USA) [5] [12] [19]. Haema ological
analyses he e include he small blood coun , i.e. hemoglobin, hema oc i , whi e blood cell coun and ed blood
cell coun . This da a is based on p e ious publica ions lis ed in Table 2.
3. Resul s
Body weigh s o he oxes a e aged 8.0 ± 0.9 kg (mean ± SD). The main biochemical esul s a e p esen ed in
Table 1. Se um biochemical assays he e consis ed o li e enzymes alanine amino ans e ase (ALAT), aspa a-
a e amino anas e ase (ASAT), alkaline phospaha ase (ALP), and o al bili ubin (T-BIL); subs ances desc ibing
kidney unc ion c ea inine, u ea and ino ganic phospha e (Pi); muscle enzyme c ea inine kinase (CK); glucose
H. T. Ko honen, H. Huuki
257
Table 1. Se um biochemis y analyses in blue oxes (N = 15). Resul s a e p esen ed as
means wi h s anda d de ia ion (SD). Re e ence alues (mean o ange) om p e ious pub-
lica ions (a - e) a e p esen ed on he igh . See Re e ences in mo e de ails. Fo a iables in
de ails see Ma e ial and me hods.
Pa ame e Mean SD Re e ence alues
ALAT (U/l) 171.5 56 132a, 121b, 260c, 49 - 65d, 12 - 14e
ASAT (U/l) 49.2 25 48a, 53.8b, 99 - 168c, 87 - 104d, 23 - 28e
CK (U/l) 84.0 27 227a, 184 - 363c
ALP (U/l) 101.2 32 34.6b
UREA (mmol/l) 6.4 3.3 6.4b
KREA (μmol/l) 52.6 3.9 62b
ALB (G/l) 35.9 2.0
S-Ca (mmol/l) 2.9 0.1
GLUK (mmol/l) 7.6 1.2
T-Cho (mmol/l) 5.1 0.6
T-BIL (μmol/l) 1.7 0.4
Pi (mmol/l) 1.5 0.4
K (mmol/l) 4.6 0.3
Na (mmol/l) 145.7 1.9
CL (mmol/l) 108.2 2.7
a[15], b[14], c[13], d[9], e[2].
Table 2. Small blood coun o a med blue oxes. Hb = hemoglobin, HC = hema oc i , WBC = whi e blood cells, RBW =
ed blood cells. Resul s a e wi h o wi hou mean and s anda d de ia ion (SD), excep in [20] as s anda d e o (SE). N =
numbe o animals.
Hb HC WBC RBC N Re e ence
(g/l) (%) (109 cells−1) (109 cells−1)
155 ± 10 49.3 ± 50 8.4 ± 7.2 8.4 ± 8.7 20 [16]
160 ± 2 51.7 ± 51 8.8 ± 8.7 8.9 ± 8.0 20 [19]
159 ± 0.2 50.2 ± 0.8 7.7 ± 0.8 9.0 ± 0.2 12 [20]
171 57.0 8.9 9.5 20 [15]
164 52.0 7.4 8.8 60 [17]
178 57.1 7.8 9.2 50 [18]
168 58.4 7.9 9.7 16 [21]
(GLUK) om panc eas; se um o al p o eins (PROT) and albumin (ALB); elec oly es po assium (K), na ium
(Na), chlo ide (CL), calcium (S-Ca) , and lipid subs ance o al choles e ol (T-Cho). Table 1 also p o ides some
e e ence alues om p e ious publica ions in a m- aised blue oxes.
Table 2 summa izes p e iously published haema ological da a conce ning small blood coun , i.e. hemoglobin,
hema oc i , whi e blood cells and ed blood cells. These a iables a e e y simila despi e o s udy and animal
ma e ial.
4. Discussion
I is known ha indi idual animal a iabili y can a ec s udy esul s. To minimize animal a iabili y, esea ch-
H. T. Ko honen, H. Huuki
258
e s should be p o ided wi h no mal, heal hy, well-adap ed animals ha ing a na ow ange o physical, beha -
iou al, and clinical pa ame e s. The es ablishmen o s anda d basic da a is he e o e impo an . The p esen
biochemical s udy was ca ied ou a pel ing season in No embe . A ha ime o he yea he e is he highes
numbe o animals on a ms. By hen, ju enile animals ha e al eady eached ma u i y, oo. Compa ison o se-
um biochemis y p o ile can be expec ed o be hen mos needed and jus i ied. Animals in his s udy we e
clinically heal hy a he ime o blood collec ion and main ained unde simila husband y p ac ices.
Values o ce ain blood pa ame e s de e mined in he p esen s udy we e close o p e iously documen ed e -
e ence alues, bu he e we e also a iables ha di e ed ma kedly om each o he . These di e ences qui e
likely can be explained by di e ences in echniques, condi ions, uni epo s, and b eed and age o he animals
[12].
Se um biochemical p o ile con ains a se ies o blood es s ha p o ide an o e iew o many o he body’s
unc ions. The e m “li e unc ion es s” is o en used o desc ibe a panel o labo a o y measu es o a a ie y o
hepa ic enzymes, including se um aspa a e amino ans e ase o AST and alanine amino ans e ase o ALT and
alkaline phospha ase (ALP). Wi h a dis u bance o he s uc u e and unc ion o hepa ocy es he cy oplasmic
enzyme ALAT is libe a ed and supplied o he blood ea lie han he mi ochond ial enzyme ASAT [2]. ASAT is
mos abundan in he hea , he li e and he skele al muscle, while he li e and kidneys a e good sou ces o
ALAT. Ci hosis o he li e , whe e hepa ic cells a e i e e sibly damaged and pa o he issue becomes i-
b ous, inc eases se um ASAT oo, as a esul o a deep o gan dis u bance o hepa ic cells [2]. No mal ASAT
alues in blood se um o blue oxes a pel ing ime ha e been desc ibed o be be ween 23 - 28 U/l, and ALAT
alues be ween 12 - 14 U/l [2]. I has, howe e , ound highe alues, 87 - 104 U/l o ASAT and 49 - 65 U/l o
ALAT in Finnish blue oxes [9]. In dogs, ALAT and ASAT alue in he se um ange be ween 21 - 102 U/l and
23 - 66 U/l [22]. High ALAT and ASAT alues can be ela ed o he se iousness o li e lipodosis [13]. In he
p esen s udy, ALAT alues ound we e highe han p e iously measu ed. ASAT alues, on he o he hand,
we e e y simila han hose documen ed by [14] and [15]. In dogs, ASAT alue has been desc ibed o be 35 U/l
[5]. ALP alues ound we e highe han hose ound in blue ox s udy [14]. In sil e oxes, ALP alue o 57 -
122 U/l has been measu ed [4]. These a e a he close o alues ound in he p esen s udy. In human beings,
no mal ALK ange ypically is om 44 o 147 U/l.
The wo subs ances mos commonly measu ed o assess kidney unc ion a e u ea and c ea inine. U ea is a
by-p oduc o p o ein b eakdown. I is p oduced in he li e and sec e ed om he body in u ine. C ea inine is a
by-p oduc o muscle me abolism. Inc eased le els o c ea inine indica e dec eased kidney unc ion. Bo h u ea
and c ea inine alues measu ed he e we e compa able o hose alues p e iously ound [14].
The enzyme mos equen ly e alua ed o assess muscle heal h is c ea inine kinase (CK). Ele a ions in muscle
enzymes a e o en ound wi h muscula ac i i y, auma, and muscle in lamma ion. CK alues in he p esen
s udy we e lowe compa ed o p e iously alues by [2] and [14]. In sil e oxes, on he o he hand, i was ound
simila alues (84.9 U/l) han in he p esen s udy o blue oxes [4].
Fo he es o measu ed pa ame e s he e a e no ac ual e e ence alues a ailable in he li e a u e. Because o
lack o speci ic e e ence i is di icul o es ima e hei ue ele ance. Typically alues ou side o no mal ange
a e sugges i e o a lack o good heal h. Fu he s udies will be needed o e alua e no mal ange o ce ain se um
biochemis y a iables in a med oxes.
Summa ized haema ological da a on small blood coun e ealed ha hese ou blood pa ame e s a e ai ly
simila despi e o expe imen o animal ma e ial. All haema ological analyses we e done by he same labo a o y
which p obably declined a iabili y o esul s. I looks ha small blood coun can be eliably used o sc een gen-
e al wel a e s a us o a med blue oxes [22]. Mo e da a on se um biochemis y is needed. Howe e , i can be
expec ed ha small blood coun oge he wi h se um biochemis y p o ile is a po en ial es combina ion o
analysis o animal wel a e and heal h.
5. Conclusion
The p esen s udy e alua ed a wide scale se um biochemical assays o adul a m- aised blue oxes. Fo some
o he measu ed blood pa ame e s, also e e ence alues we e a ailable om p e ious s udies. Some o he
measu ed a iables we e close o alues p e iously published, bu some di e ed ma kedly. These di e ences
can be mos likely explained by he di e ences in echniques, condi ions, uni epo s, and b eed and age o he
animals. I is essen ial o educe e o s by de e mining he no mal anges as accu a ely as possible. Small blood
H. T. Ko honen, H. Huuki
259
coun can be eliably used o es ima e gene al wel a e s a us o blue oxes. The e e ence alues p esen ed in his
pape will be aluable as a guide o clinical diagnosis and esea ch.
Acknowledgemen s
This s udy was inancially suppo ed by MTT Ag i ood Resea ch Finland. The s a o MTT Resea ch S a ion is
kindly acknowledged o hei aluable help in ca ying ou his expe imen .
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