Stannard Hayley J, Young Lauren J, Old Julie M
Native and Pest Animal Unit, School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW, Australia.
Vet Clin Pathol. 2013 Dec;42(4):476-82. doi: 10.1111/vcp.12094. Epub 2013 Oct 23.
The Eastern and Spotted-Tailed Quolls are "near threatened" Australian dasyurid marsupials that have undergone significant reduction in their geographic ranges in the past 200 years. Captive breeding and research colonies now exist, allowing further efforts to more fully understand the physiology of these carnivorous species.
The aims of the study were to provide a more detailed study of blood chemistry and differential WBC counts for Eastern and Spotted-Tailed Quolls, and to determine the influence by 3 biologic factors.
Blood samples were taken from conscious, captive, healthy Eastern Quolls. A small number of samples from Spotted-Tailed Quolls were also available and were included in the study for comparison. Blood chemistry and differential WBC counts were compared to determine season-, age-, and sex-related differences.
For many of the analytes, blood chemistry results were comparable to other marsupial ranges, and no significant differences between sexes were detected (P > .05). Seasonal differences were determined for total bilirubin, glucose, creatinine, and potassium concentrations in the Eastern Quoll. Generally, higher concentrations of these analytes were observed in the summer; however, amylase activity was significantly higher in autumn (southern hemisphere). Eastern Quolls one year of age and younger had significantly (P < .05) higher ALP activities than older animals.
The normal ranges determined in this study can be used to assess clinical health of quolls and will assist with captive management and future reintroduction programs to the wild.
东部袋鼬和斑尾袋鼬是“近危”的澳大利亚袋鼬科有袋动物，在过去200年里其地理分布范围大幅缩小。现在已有圈养繁殖和研究群体，这使得人们能够进一步努力更全面地了解这些食肉物种的生理学特征。
本研究的目的是对东部袋鼬和斑尾袋鼬的血液化学和白细胞分类计数进行更详细的研究，并确定3种生物学因素的影响。
从清醒、圈养的健康东部袋鼬采集血样。也有少量斑尾袋鼬的样本，并将其纳入研究以作比较。比较血液化学和白细胞分类计数，以确定与季节、年龄和性别相关的差异。
对于许多分析物，血液化学结果与其他有袋动物的范围相当，未检测到性别之间的显著差异（P > .05）。确定了东部袋鼬总胆红素、葡萄糖、肌酐和钾浓度的季节性差异。一般来说，这些分析物在夏季的浓度较高；然而，淀粉酶活性在秋季（南半球）显著更高。1岁及以下的东部袋鼬碱性磷酸酶活性显著高于年龄较大的动物（P < .05）。
本研究确定的正常范围可用于评估袋鼬的临床健康状况，并将有助于圈养管理和未来的野外放归计划。
