Table 6.
Hematologic and serum chemistry analytes (marginal mean, lower 95% confidence limit − higher 99% confidence limit) from 476 blood samples of clinically healthy adult killer whales (Orcinus orca, 21 to <31 years old) for which seasonal differences were detected (N = 23)
| Blood analyte | Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter | Šidák Groups (P < 0.01) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hematology | |||||
| Hb (g/dL) | 15.0 (14.8‐15.2) | 15.2 (15.1‐15.4) | 15.2 (15.1‐15.4) | 15.0 (14.8‐15.2) | NSD |
| HCT (%) | 44.7 (44.2‐45.25) | 45.3 (4.8‐45.8) | 44.9 (44.4‐45.4) | 44.5 (43.9‐45.0) | W<F; Sp < S |
| RBC (106/μL) | 4.00 (3.90‐4.08) | 4.04 (3.95‐4.13) | 4.02 (3.93‐4.11) | 3.98 (3.89‐4.07) | Sp & W < S & F |
| MCV (FL) | 112.4 (111.2‐113.6) | 112.3 (111.1‐113.5) | 112.1 (110.9‐113.3) | 112.0 (110.8‐113.2) | NSD |
| Retica (%) | 1.10 (0.95‐1.26) | 1.00 (0.84‐1.16) | 1.0 (0.84‐1.15) | 1.13 (0.97‐1.29) | S & F < Sp & W |
| WBC (103/μL) | 5012.0 (4602.1‐5286.9) | 4878.4 (4469.9‐5286.9) | 4845.0 (4435.9‐5254.1) | 5048.4 (4638.2‐5458.5) | F < Sp & W; S < W |
| Abs segs (103/μL) | 4064.5 (3698.0‐4431.0) | 3940.5 (3575.1‐4305.9) | 3915.3 (3549.5‐4281.1) | 4102.8 (3736.2‐4469.5) | F < Sp & W; S < W |
| Serum chemistry | |||||
| Glucose (mg/dL) | 112.1 (109.0‐115.3) | 106.9 (103.7‐110.0) | 111.1 (108.0‐114.2) | 112.9 (109.8‐116.0) | S < Sp & F & W; F < W |
| BUN (mg/dL) | 40.1 (37.7‐42.5) | 42.1 (39.8‐44.5) | 41.4 (39.0‐43.8) | 40.3 (37.9‐42.6) | Sp & W < F < S |
| Creat (mg/dL) | 1.90 (1.79‐2.00) | 1.91 (1.80‐2.01) | 1.87 (1.77‐1.97) | 1.82 (1.71‐1.92) | W < Sp & S & F |
| Cholesterol (mg/dL) | 203.5 (184.0‐223.1) | 210.2 (190.7‐229.7) | 208.1 (188.6‐227.7) | 204.9 (185.3‐224.5) | Sp & W < S |
| Triglyceridea (mg/dL) | 142.1 (129.1‐155.2) | 146.3 (133.2‐159.3) | 133.6 (120.6‐146.7) | 139.9 (126.8‐153.0) | F < W < S |
| TProtein (g/dL) | 7.17 (6.91‐7.42) | 7.08 (6.83‐7.33) | 7.09 (6.83‐7.34) | 7.17 (6.91‐7.42) | S & F < Sp & W |
| Albumin (g/dL) | 3.72 (3.60‐3.83) | 3.69 (3.58‐3.80) | 3.70 (3.58‐3.81) | 3.73 (3.62‐3.84) | S & F < W |
| Globulin (g/dL) | 3.46 (3.25‐3.66) | 3.39 (3.19‐3.60) | 3.41 (3.20‐3.61) | 3.45 (3.25‐3.65) | NSD |
| ALP (IU/L) | 139.0 (102.3‐175.6) | 140.4 (103.9‐176.8) | 116.1 (79.5‐152.6) | 119.0 (82.3‐155.7) | F & W < Sp & S |
| ALT (IU/L) | 13.79 (10.74‐16.83) | 15.04 (12.01‐18.08) | 16.02 (12.98‐19.06) | 14.37 (11.32‐17.41) | Sp < S < F |
| AST (IU/L) | 40.51 (36.91‐44.11) | 41.11 (37.53‐44.71) | 42.81 (39.21‐46.40) | 42.08 (38.48‐45.68) | Sp & S < F; Sp < W |
| GGT (IU/L) | 7.23 (4.97‐9.49) | 7.64 (5.38‐9.89) | 8.52 (6.27‐10.78) | 7.72 (5.46‐9.98) | Sp & S & W < F |
| Phosphorusa (mg/dL) | 5.30 (5.11‐5.01) | 5.24 (5.04‐5.43) | 5.19 (4.99‐5.38) | 5.26 (5.07‐5.46) | F < Sp |
| Sodium (mEq/L) | 152.7 (152.0‐153.4) | 152.8 (152.1‐153.5) | 153.1 (152.4‐153.8) | 152.8 (152.1‐153.5) | Sp < F |
| Chloride (mEq/L) | 120.2 (119.1‐121.1) | 120.7 (119.7‐121.6) | 120.4 (119.4‐121.4) | 119.9 (119.0‐120.9) | W & Sp < S; W < F |
| CO2 (mEq/L) | 27.45 (26.68‐28.23) | 27.11 (26.34‐27.88) | 27.63 (27.86‐28.40) | 27.95 (27.17‐28.72 | S < F; Sp & S < W |
Hb, hemoglobin concentration; RBC, red blood cell count; MCV, mean corpuscular volume; RDW, red blood cell distribution width; platelet, platelet count; MPV, mean platelet volume; Retic, reticulocyte fraction; WBC, total white blood cell count; Abs segs, segmented neutrophil count; Abs lymphs, absolute lymphocyte count; Abs monos, monocyte count; Abs eos, eosinophil counts; ESR60, erythrocyte sedimentation rate at 60 minutes; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; Creat, creatinine; Tbili, total bilirubin; Tprotein, total protein; globulin, total globulins; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; GGT, gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase; CK, creatinine kinase; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; Ca, calcium; P, phosphorus; Na, sodium; K, potassium; Cl, chloride; FIB, fibrinogen.
NSD = Post hoc Šidák pairwise comparisons were not significantly different (P < 0.01).
Analytes for which a significant difference was measured between sex were controlled for by sex.