Reference interval determination of venous blood gas, hematologic, and biochemical parameters in healthy sedated, neutered ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine reference ranges for the Nova tabletop blood gas analyzer laboratory parameters in ferrets. Blood was collected from 40 clinically healthy ferrets, ranging in age from 1 to 5 years old (28 neutered males, 12 spayed females). The evaluated parameters were measured using whole blood and included hematologic (hematocrit, hemoglobin), biochemical (lactate, glucose, Na+, K+, iCa++, iMg++, Cl−, BUN/Urea, creatinine, tCO2, anion gap), and blood gas values (pH, PCO2, PO2, SO2%, BEecf, BEb, HCO3−). Laboratory reference intervals were established for 20 hematologic, biochemical, and blood gas values. The reference intervals are as follows: pH 7.274–7.415, PCO2 35.2–59.1 mm Hg, PO2 30.0–69.2 mm Hg, SO2 55.3–93.3%, Hematocrit 33–57%, Hemoglobin 11.0–18.9 g/dL, Na 147.4–154.8 mmol/L, K 3.81–5.37 mmol/L, Cl 109.2–119.3 mmol/L, iCa 1.14–1.35 mmol/L, iMg 0.44–0.66 mmol/L, Glu 74–152 mmol/L, Lac 0.3–1.5 mmol/L, BUN 10–33 mg/dL, Cr 0.4–0.9 mg/dL, TCO2 22.6–31.6 mmol/L, Anion gap 7.8–14.9 mmol/L, BEecf −5.2 to 3.8 mmol/L, BEb −3.9 to 3.5 mmol/L, HCO3− 21.3–30.0 mmol/L. Results varied slightly from previously established values in ferrets and include reference intervals for blood gas analytes that have not been previously reported. The reference intervals provided in this manuscript will aid veterinarians in the evaluation of acid–base balance of ferrets.