Haematology and biochemistry panels in the Ethiopian hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus (Ehrenberg, 1833) from central Saudi Arabia: Establishing reference intervals and assessing variability across sex and hibernation. Journal of King Saud University-Scie
N., Mohammed, O. B., Amor, N. M., Omer, S. A., & Alagaili, A. . 2021
The Ethiopian hedgehog (Paraechinus aethiopicus) is an insectivore which is known to occur in northern
an eastern Africa and in most of the Arabian Peninsula. Few recent studies on the reproduction, parasitology
and ecology are available, but none has been published on the hematology and serum biochemistry
reference intervals. Hence the present study was conducted in order to establish haematological and biochemical
for free ranging apparently healthy hedgehogs using automated haematology and biochemistry
analyzers. Variation and differences in blood values between males and females as well as before and
after hibernation were evaluated. Blood samples from 50 males and 35 females were used for the establishment
of the reference interval for the haematological and biochemical variables. Data from males and
females were compared using student’s t-test in the computer program SPSS. Significant sex-related
haematological differences were observed in the total WBCs, monocytes, RBCs, MCV and MCH values.
Males showed significantly higher WBCs compared to females whereas females showed significantly
higher values form monocytes, RBCs, MCV and MCH than males (p < 0.05–0001). Changes in the biochemical
profiles were significant in AlP, BUN and Na. ALP and BUN were higher in males while Na was higher
in females (p < 0.05–0.01). The effect of hibernation was evidenced by increase in the RBCs, haemoglobin,
haematocrit and MCHC and decrease in the total protein and phosphorus in animals after hibernation.
These findings are considered the first regarding the reference intervals for the desert hedgehog and it
will constitute a basis for any further haematological and biochemical studies.
Arabia—was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting antibodies against two cyst-forming coccidian parasites, namely Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. Antibodies…
This study was undertaken to determine the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in cats
in the area of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We examined 200 serum samples collected from stray
and…
A cross sectional study was conducted during the period 2014–2015, to estimate the prevalence and
assess contribution of some risk factors for the occurrence of enterotoxaemia in sheep,…