Vol. 52, 2013

Hematologic and plasma biochemical reference values of the yellow pond turtle Mauremys mutica and the effects of sex and season

Pin-Huan Yu, Pu-Yu Yang, Yun-Shan Chiu and Chau-Hwa Chi*

Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan Univ., 1, Roosevelt Road, Sec. 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan

Abstract
Background: The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the yellow pond turtle Mauremys mutica to be an endangered species. Hematologic analyses are useful tools for monitoring the health, disease processes, and physiologic status of reptiles by clinicians and conservationists. The objectives of this study were to measure plasma biochemical values in healthy captive yellow pond turtles, determine reference values, and evaluate the effects of sex and season on the results. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of 53 adult
captive individuals (18 males and 35 females) in four different months that represented summer, winter, fall, and spring in Taiwan. Plasma biochemical assays were performed using an automatic analyzer. Descriptive statistics and distributions of each data variable were analyzed using SAS software.
Results: Hematological and plasma biochemical reference values of the yellow pond turtle were determined in this study. There were no significant sex differences in hematological values; however, there were seasonal differences, and interactions between sex and season were observed. In females, lactate dehydrogenase, uric acid, calcium, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations were significantly higher than in males. There were seasonal differences but no sex and season interactions in serum biochemical values.
Conclusions: This information can serve as baseline reference data for future health assessment studies of free-ranging and captive M. mutica, and for epidemiologic, conservation, and captive-breeding studies. 

Key words: Blood test; Mauremys mutica; Reference values; Yellow pond turtle.

*Correspondence: E-mail: Chie@ntu.edu.tw