Abstract:

Establishing normal reference ranges for each stage of gestation during bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) pregnancy is important to understand the physiological demands of fetal and maternal basal requirements. Alterations in blood parameters have been observed to shift in both trimester and species. This dataset was compiled to conduct a retrospective analysis from 260 blood samples obtained from 42 successful pregnancies from 20 bottlenose dolphins in a managed population over 30 years. In addition 151 samples were included from the same individuals, but in non-pregnant states, to provide a control group for comparison with the gestational samples. Establishing normal reference ranges for each trimester will enable future identification of abnormalities occurring during pregnancy and help improve our understanding of factors potentially influencing a failed or successful pregnancy outcome.

Suggested Citation:

Ashley Barratclough, Forrest M. Gomez, Jeanine Morey, Alissa Deming, Celeste Parry, Jennifer M. Meegan, Kevin Carlin, Lori Schwacke, Stephanie Venn-Watson, Eric D. Jensen, Cynthia R. Smith.. 2019. Pregnancy profiles in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): clinical biochemical and hematological variations during healthy gestation and a successful outcome. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/n7-y1wm-t595

Publications:

Barratclough, A., Gomez, F. M., Morey, J. S., Deming, A., Parry, C., Meegan, J. M., … Smith, C. R. (2020). Pregnancy profiles in the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): Clinical biochemical and hematological variations during healthy gestation and a successful outcome. Theriogenology, 142, 92–103. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.09.028

Purpose:

Establishing normal reference ranges for each trimester will enable future identification of abnormalities occurring during pregnancy and help improve our understanding of factors potentially influencing a failed or successful pregnancy outcome.

Data Parameters and Units:

Exam.ID Unique identification number for each blood sample obtained Animal.ID Unique identification number for each dolphin in the dataset Blood.Date Calendar date that blood sample was obtained day/month/year Fasting Documenting if the blood sample was obtained pre or post food consumption WBC White Blood Cells 1000/µL RBC Red Blood Cells 10^6/µL HGB Hemoglobin g/dL HCT Hematocrit % MCV Mean Corpuscular Volume fL MCH MeanCorpuscular hemoglobin pg MCHC Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration g/dL RBC.Dist Red blood cell distribution % Platelets Platelets 1000/µL MPV Mean Platelet volume fL SEGS Neutrophils % A.C.Neutrophils Neutrophils 1000/µL Lymphs Lymphocytes % A.C.Lymphocytes Lymphocytes 1000/µL Monocytes Monocytes % A.C.Monocytes Monocytes 1000/µL EOS Eosinophils % A.C.Eosinophils Eosinophils 1000/µL Basophil Basophils % A.C.Basophils Basophils 1000/µL Glucose Glucose mg/dL BUN Blood Urea Nitrogen mg/dL Creatinine Creatinine mg/dL BUN.Creatinine Blood urea nitrogen to creatinine ratio Uric.Acid Uric Acid mg/dL Sodium Sodium mEq/L Potassium Potassium mEq/L Chloride Chloride mEq/L CO2 Carbon dioxide mEq/L Protein Protein g/dL Albumin Albumin g/dL Globulins Globulins g/dL A.G.Ratio Albumin to globulin ratio Calcium Calcium mg/dL Inorg.Phos Inorganic Phosphate mg/dL Alk.Phos Alkaline Phosphatase U/L LDH Lactacte dehydrogenase U/L AST Aspartate aminotransferase U/L ALT Alanine aminotransferase U/L GGT Gamma-glutamyl transferase U/L Bilirubin Bilirubin mg/dL Cholesterol Cholesterol mg/dL Triglyceride Triglycerides mg/dL Iron Iron µg/dL CPK Creatinine Kinase U/L SED.60 Erythrocyte sedimentation rate GFR Glomerular filtration rate mL/min

Methods:

Laboratory analysis was conducted on archived blood samples from U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program’s (MMP) bottlenose dolphins living in open-ocean netted enclosures in San Diego Bay, California. The MMP is AAALAC-accredited and adheres to the national standards of the United States Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and the Animal Welfare Act. The MMP’s animal care and use program are routinely reviewed by an institutional animal care and use committee, and the Department of Defense Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. Inclusion criteria for the analyses were clinically healthy adult female pregnant dolphins who successfully carried a calf to full term, parturition occurred without complication, and the calf survived >30 days. Inclusion criteria for the non-pregnant dolphin samples involved a routine blood sample obtained in the month of June prior to pregnancy. Exclusion criteria included any pre-existing health conditions which could affect pregnancy or significant health conditions which occurred during pregnancy and required initiation of treatment by the attending clinician. Any administration of systemic antibiotics, anti-fungal, steroid or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications during pregnancy resulted in exclusion from the study. Medications that did not result in the exclusion of the study were any medications administered as part of normal preventative medicinal care (e.g. parasiticides), vitamin supplementations routinely administered to pregnant females (e.g. Mazuri® Vita-Zu® vitamins), gastrointestinal medications used for short episodes of inappetence, or topical medications. Samples included in the study were both fasted and non-fasted blood samples. Blood was collected as part of the MMP’s comprehensive preventative health program. All blood samples were collected via voluntary presentation or manual restraint from the peripheral periarterial venous rete on the ventral fluke using a 22-gauge butterfly needle and vacutainer collection system or from the periarterial venous rete in the caudal peduncle using a 20 / 18-gauge 1.5-inch needle attached to a vacutainer collection system. Blood was collected into BD vacutainers (BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ) containing K-EDTA, sodium citrate and serum separator for analysis. Serum separator tubes were chilled for 30 minutes and centrifuged within 2 hours at 21°C for 10 minutes. Whole blood and serum samples were submitted on ice packs to Quest diagnostic laboratory or Naval Medical Center San Diego clinical pathology laboratory for analysis. Blood samples were assessed for routine biochemistry and hematology including 46 total analytes.

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