Dataset Information

Comparison of Dilution on Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) and Marine Toad (Rhinella marinus) Blood Parameters as Measured on a Portable Chemistry Analyzer.

ABSTRACT: Biochemical testing is an important clinical tool in evaluating the physiology of reptiles and amphibians. Suitable point of care analyzers can allow for rapid delivery of results, but small patient size can inhibit sufficient sample collection. This study evaluated the utility of sample dilution with sterile distilled water as a means of biochemical evaluation when sample volume is limited. Blood was collected from 12 eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) and 12 marine toads (Rhinella marinus) and analyzed via i-STAT CHEM8+ cartridges. Two undiluted samples and two samples diluted 1?:?1 with sterile water were evaluated immediately following collection for each animal in the study. Analytes reported in the diluted samples were limited to glucose, ionized calcium, and total carbon dioxide. The expected dilution ratio value of diluted to undiluted samples was 0.5, of which glucose in both turtles and toads was nearest. Dilution ratio values for ionized calcium, however, were higher than expected in both turtles and toads. Sample dilution is not recommended for most analytes included on the CHEM8+ cartridge due to values occurring outside the limits of detection for the analyzer. Glucose and ionized calcium values obtained on diluted samples should be interpreted with caution but may provide clinical utility in reptile and amphibian patients where sample volume is limited.

SUBMITTER: Griffioen JA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7474372 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Comparison of Dilution on Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) and Marine Toad (Rhinella marinus) Blood Parameters as Measured on a Portable Chemistry Analyzer.

Griffioen John A JA Stowe Devorah M DM Trosclair Macy M Minter Larry J LJ Vanetten Chelsey C Harrison Tara M TM

Veterinary medicine international 20200827

Biochemical testing is an important clinical tool in evaluating the physiology of reptiles and amphibians. Suitable point of care analyzers can allow for rapid delivery of results, but small patient size can inhibit sufficient sample collection. This study evaluated the utility of sample dilution with sterile distilled water as a means of biochemical evaluation when sample volume is limited. Blood was collected from 12 eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) and 12 marine toads ...[more]

PMID: 32908664

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Project description:Wildlife mortality investigations are important for conservation, food safety, and public health; but they are infrequently reported for cryptic chelonian species. Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) are declining due to anthropogenic factors and disease, and while mortality investigations have been reported for captive and translocated individuals, few descriptions exist for free-living populations. We report the results of four natural mortality event investigations conducted during routine health surveillance of three Illinois box turtle populations in 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015. In April 2011, over 50 box turtles were found dead and a polymicrobial necrotizing bacterial infection was diagnosed in five survivors using histopathology and aerobic/anaerobic culture. This represents the first reported occurrence of necrotizing bacterial infection in box turtles. In August 2013, paired histopathology and qPCR ranavirus detection in nine turtles was significantly associated with occupation of moist microhabitats, identification of oral plaques and nasal discharge on physical exam, and increases in the heterophil count and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (p < 0.05). In July 2014 and 2015, ranavirus outbreaks reoccurred within a 0.2km radius of highly-disturbed habitat containing ephemeral ponds used by amphibians for breeding. qPCR ranavirus detection in five individuals each year was significantly associated with use of moist microhabitats (p < 0.05). Detection of single and co-pathogens (Terrapene herpesvirus 1, adenovirus, and Mycoplasma sp.) was common before, during, and after mortality events, but improved sample size would be necessary to determine the impacts of these pathogens on the occurrence and outcome of mortality events. This study provides novel information about the causes and predictors of natural box turtle mortality events. Continued investigation of health, disease, and death in free-living box turtles will improve baseline knowledge of morbidity and mortality, identify threats to survival, and promote the formation of effective conservation strategies.

Dataset Information

Comparison of Dilution on Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) and Marine Toad (Rhinella marinus) Blood Parameters as Measured on a Portable Chemistry Analyzer.

Publications

Comparison of Dilution on Eastern Box Turtle (<i>Terrapene carolina carolina</i>) and Marine Toad <i>(Rhinella marinus</i>) Blood Parameters as Measured on a Portable Chemistry Analyzer.

Similar Datasets

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