Haematological findings in captive dolphins and whales.

OBJECTIVE

To examine haematological features in five species of healthy, captive marine mammals.

ANIMALS

Twenty bottlenose dolphins (Tursips truncatus), seven Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), five Risso dolphins (Grampus griseus) and five false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

The red blood cell count was 4.21 x 10(12)/L in bottlenose dolphins, 5.32 x 10(12)/L in Pacific white-sided dolphins, 4.35 x 10(12)/L in Risso dolphins and 4.43 x 10(12)/L in false killer whales. The haemoglobin concentration was 1.51 g/L and packed cell volume 44.7% in bottlenose dolphins; the corresponding values were 1.71 g/L and 48.9% in Pacific white-sided dolphins, 1.72 g/L and 49.4% in Risso dolphins, and 1.52 g/L and 47.8% in false killer whales. The white blood cell count was 7.097 x 10(9)/L in bottlenose dolphins, 5.928 x 10(9)/L in Pacific white-sided dolphins, 5.001 x 10(9)/L in Risso dolphins and 7.921 x 10(9)/L in false killer whales. There were no significant differences in these values among bottlenose dolphins and Pacific white-sided dolphins. The proportion of eosinophils in the differential leukocyte count ranged from 10.3% to 11.5% in bottlenose dolphins, Pacific white-sided dolphins and false killer whales, but was only 0.4% in Risso dolphins. The eosinophilic granules were larger in Risso dolphins and false killer whales than in bottlenose and Pacific white-sided dolphins.