Select Venous Analytes and Fibrinogen Determination Using Two Methods in Brown Pelicans.
Authors: Gessner-Knepel Amelia, Gentry Jordan, Schmalz Sharon, Russell Karen E, Heatley J Jill
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Venous Reference Values and Fibrinogen Analysis in Brown Pelicans Brown pelicans frequently require medical intervention following natural disasters and environmental contamination events, yet clinical laboratories lack current, robust reference intervals for this species to guide diagnostic interpretation and treatment decisions. Researchers collected blood samples from 71 presumed-healthy brown pelicans during pre-release assessments at a rehabilitation centre, measuring multiple venous analytes using validated avian chemistry panels (Abaxis VS2, iSTAT CG4+ and Chem8+) alongside fibrinogen determination by both gold-standard heat precipitation and the Abaxis VSPro equine cartridge. The study established updated reference intervals across electrolytes, enzymes, and protein parameters—notably from a substantially larger and more contemporary cohort than previously available literature—though specific values were not detailed in the abstract. Critical to laboratory practice, fibrinogen measurements proved incompatible between the two methods, with the VSPro equine cartridge demonstrating insufficient accuracy for avian application and therefore unsuitable for clinical use in brown pelicans. Whilst the updated reference intervals will improve diagnostic confidence in rehabilitated pelicans, practitioners should recognise that point-of-care devices validated in mammals may not translate reliably to avian patients, necessitating careful validation before adopting species-crossover technology in wildlife medicine settings.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Not applicable - this study concerns avian (brown pelican) medicine and rehabilitation, not equine practice
- •Not applicable - species-specific reference intervals and diagnostic validation have no direct application to equine veterinary or farriery practice
Key Findings
- •Updated reference intervals for venous analytes established in brown pelicans from 71 presumed healthy individuals during pre-release rehabilitation examination
- •Fibrinogen results measured by heat precipitation (gold standard) and Abaxis VSPro equine cartridge were not comparable, indicating VSPro is not appropriate for use in avian species
- •Multiple blood chemistry parameters measured including Abaxis VS2 Avian/Reptile panel, iSTAT CG4+, and iSTAT Chem8+ along with body condition scoring and cloacal temperature