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Translocation and dehorning are common and important practices for rhinoceros management and conservation. It is not known if dehorning causes a stress response or negatively affects rhinoceroses during transport. Twenty-three subadult wild Southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) bulls were immobilized and translocated >280 km for population management reasons. Ten animals were dehorned at capture, and 13 animals were transported without dehorning. For transport, five dehorned and six nondehorned rhinoceroses were sedated with azaperone (62.38±9.54 µg/kg) and five dehorned and seven nondehorned rhinoceroses with midazolam (64.61±9.28 µg/kg). Blood samples were collected at capture, start of transport, and after 6 h of transport. Measurements included 10 physiologic variables: hematocrit, total serum protein, creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), creatinine, urea, cholesterol, β -hydroxybutyrate, and glucose; and four stress response variables: cortisol, epinephrine, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and leukocyte coping capacity. Using a linear mixed model, CK and GGT were higher in dehorned compared with nondehorned rhinoceroses. There were no significant differences in the other variables between the two groups. The likely cause of these differences is that dehorned animals spent more time in the crate before the start of transport than nondehorned rhinoceroses (3:11±0:54 h vs. 1:12 ±0:56 h, P<0.001). These results indicate that dehorning does not negatively alter the white rhinoceros' physiologic and stress responses during translocation, supporting its use for antipoaching measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The regenerative response following Babesia rossi infection in dogs is mild, despite severe hemolytic anemia. Objective: We aimed to compare the admission absolute reticulocyte count (ARC) and reticulocyte indices in 103 dogs naturally infected with B. rossi with 10 dogs suffering from immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) and 14 healthy control dogs. The regenerative response was also evaluated in five dogs experimentally infected with B. rossi. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of records generated on the ADVIA 2120 hematology analyzer. Results: The median hematocrits (HCT) of the B. rossi and IMHA groups were significantly lower than the control group (p <.001 for both); however, no differences were seen between the B. rossi and IMHA groups. Compared with the control group, the median ARC was significantly higher in the B. rossi (p =.006) and IMHA (p =.019) groups but significantly lower in the B. rossi group than the IMHA group (p =.041). In the experimentally infected dogs, there was a sudden decrease in the ARC approximately 48 h after the detection of peripheral parasitemia, which was followed by an increase after treatment. Reticulocytes of naturally infected B. rossi dogs were larger, with more variation in cellular volume. The reticulocytes of the experimentally infected dogs decreased in size with decreasing hemoglobin concentrations as the study progressed. Conclusions: The regenerative response in dogs naturally infected with B. rossi is inadequate, given the severity of the anemia observed, and it might be a result of direct suppressive action by the parasite or host response on the bone marrow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applications for acute phase reactants (APRs) in nondomesticated mammals include identifying inflammatory disease, monitoring the course of specific disease processes and recovery during rehabilitation, detecting preclinical or subclinical disease, being used as bioindicators for monitoring population and ecosystem health, and as markers of stress and animal welfare. Serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, C‐reactive protein, fibrinogen, albumin, and iron are most commonly measured. The procedure for evaluating an APR in a nondomesticated mammalian species should follow a stepwise approach beginning with an assessment of analytical performance, followed by an evaluation of overlap performance, clinical performance, and impact on patient outcomes and management. The lack of species‐specific standards and antibodies for nondomesticated mammals presents a challenge, and more attention needs to be focused on assessing cross‐reactivity and ensuring adequate analytical performance of APR assays. Sample selection for the initial evaluation of APRs should consider preanalytical influences and should originate from animals with confirmed inflammatory disease and healthy animals. Reference intervals should be generated according to published guidelines. Further evaluation should focus on assessing the diagnostic utility of APRs in specific disease scenarios relevant to a species. Greater attention should be paid to assay performance and uniformity of methods when using APRs for population and ecosystem surveillance. Veterinary clinical pathologists should work closely with zoo veterinarians and wildlife researchers to optimize the accuracy and utility of APR measurements in these various conservation medicine scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Acute phase reactants (APRs) have not been investigated in free‐living African elephants (Loxodonta africana), and there is little information about negative APRs albumin and serum iron in elephants. Objectives: We aimed to generate reference intervals (RIs) for APRs for free‐living African elephants, and to determine the diagnostic performance of APRs in apparently healthy elephants and elephants with inflammatory lesions. Methods: Stored serum samples from 49 apparently healthy and 16 injured free‐living elephants were used. The following APRs and methods were included: albumin, bromocresol green; haptoglobin, colorimetric assay; serum amyloid A (SAA), multispecies immunoturbidometric assay, and serum iron with ferrozine method. Reference intervals were generated using the nonparametric method. Indices of diagnostic accuracy were determined by receiver‐operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Reference intervals were: albumin 41–55 g/L, haptoglobin 0.16–3.51 g/L, SAA < 10 mg/L, and serum iron 8.60–16.99 μmol/L. Serum iron and albumin concentrations were lower and haptoglobin and SAA concentrations were higher in the injured group. Serum iron had the best ability to predict health or inflammation, followed by haptoglobin, SAA, and albumin, with the area under the ROC curve ranging from 0.88–0.93. Conclusions: SAA concentrations were lower in healthy African vs Asian elephants, and species‐specific RIs should be used. Serum iron was determined to be a diagnostically useful negative APR which should be added to APR panels for elephants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses that human clinical laboratory testing ip, the Hnitrrl States is regulated by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of the US FDA, 1 and other countries have similar regulations. It mentions that the Laboratory accreditation is offered by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians and is optional.

Background: Veterinary facilities might use multiple refractometers and individuals to measure urine specific gravity (USG). Previous comparison studies show conflicting results. Furthermore, the clinical significance of measurement differences and interobserver variabilities has not been assessed. Objectives: We aimed to determine statistically and clinically significant differences between four refractometers in measuring canine USG and subsequent categorization of urine concentrations and azotemia and determine the variability between different observers performing USG measurements. Methods: Fifty‐nine specimens were included for the USG measurements with four refractometers by different observers. Each refractometer pair was compared using Spearman's rank correlation, Bland‐Altman difference plots, and Deming regression analyses. Calculated bias was compared to set performance goals. Interobserver agreement was evaluated, and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to determine differences in the categorization of urine concentrations and azotemia (prerenal or renal). Results: There was excellent correlation (rs =.99‐1.00) between refractometers. All comparisons involving R4 showed significant constant and proportional biases. Mean bias met the clinical performance goals for all refractometers, except for comparisons with R4, where up to 17 results were outside the allowable bias. There was almost perfect agreement (rs =.999) between observers and excellent agreement (ICC =.96‐.99) for the classification of urine concentrations. In azotemic patients (22%), there was perfect agreement (ICC = 1.00) for the categorization of azotemia. Conclusions: In most cases, three of the refractometers evaluated in this study can be used interchangeably at all USG values, without affecting clinical decision‐making. Multiple observers did not significantly affect decision‐making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For all assays, the laboratory should provide information to clients electronically, in written materials (such as a laboratory services manual, special information sheets, journal or newsletter articles), and/or by telephone (if the software is capable, telephone communications should be recorded in the laboratory information software) regarding: Even if a sample is deemed reportable (or if the client requests the test be run regardless of laboratory-recommended rejection), comments concerning the likely effects of suboptimal specimen quality on test results should be communicated to the client in the laboratory report. Communication between laboratory personnel and clients should be timely and courteous regarding preanalytical factors influencing laboratory test results (e.g., inappropriate test choice for the clinical scenario, incomplete submission form/container labeling, inappropriate sample type or sample handling, poor sample quality, etc.). For laboratories serving in-house clients or accepting hand delivered specimens, all laboratory personnel should be aware that coagulation testing is often requested to guide therapeutic decisions in critically ill animals and results are frequently time sensitive. General quality assurance and quality control principles should be followed for protein electrophoretic evaluations, including the establishment of a clearly defined and laboratory validated QA/QC protocol. [Extracted from the article]

Acute phase reactants (APRs) have not been investigated in white rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum ). This study aimed to identify clinically useful APRs in this species. Reference intervals (RIs) were generated for albumin, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, iron and serum amyloid A (SAA) from 48 free-ranging animals, except for SAA ( n = 23). APR concentrations between healthy animals and those with tissue injury (inflammation) ( n = 30) were compared. Diagnostic performance was evaluated using receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analyses. RIs were: albumin 18-31 g/L, fibrinogen 1.7-2.9 g/L, haptoglobin 1.0-4.3 g/L, iron 9.7-35.0 μmol/L, SAA <20 mg/L. Iron and albumin were lower and fibrinogen, haptoglobin and SAA higher in injured vs. healthy animals. Iron showed the best diagnostic accuracy followed by fibrinogen, albumin, haptoglobin and SAA. Iron ≤ 15.1 μmol/L and haptoglobin >4.7 g/L were significant predictors of inflammatory status and together correctly predicted the clinical status of 91% of cases. SAA > 20 mg/L had a specificity of 100%. In conclusion, albumin and iron are negative and fibrinogen, haptoglobin and SAA positive APRs in the white rhinoceros. The combination of iron and haptoglobin had an excellent diagnostic accuracy for detecting inflammation., (Copyright © 2020 Hooijberg, Cray, Steenkamp, Buss, Goddard and Miller.)