Abstract:

Following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010, poor pulmonary health and reproductive failure in coastal bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico were well documented. The increased fetal distress and pneumonia found in affected perinatal dolphins could be caused by hypoxia in the dam from concurrent lung disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of blood gas analysis and capnography in determining oxygenation status in bottlenose dolphins with and without pulmonary disease. In 2016 and 2017, 30 managed dolphins from the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program in San Diego, California were sampled as a control population with known health histories.

Suggested Citation:

Sarah M. Sharp, Mark Baird, Veronica Cendejas, Forrest M. Gomez, Jenny M. Meegan, Forrest Townsend, Eric Jensen, Miranda Schwacke, Stephanie Venn-Watson, Teresa K. Rowles, Lori H. Schwacke, Cynthia R. Smith. 2019. Using blood gas analysis and capnography to determine oxygenation status in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/F4HGMXD5

Purpose:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of blood gas analysis and capnography in determining oxygenation status in bottlenose dolphins with and without pulmonary disease.

Data Parameters and Units:

Exam.ID Unique identification number for each reproductive US exam conducted Bloodgas.date Sampling date for blood gas data (month/day/year) Animal.ID Unique identifier for each dolphin in the dataset Sex Sex: 0 = female; 1 = male Age Age of animal (years) Length.age.class Age Class (years) as determined by length (cm): 0 = juvenile (0-5 years or >=225 cm); 1 = subadult (>5 <10 yrs, >225 <240 cm); 2 = adult (>=10 years, >=240cm) Pregnant Pregnancy status: 0 = non-pregnant female; 1 = pregnant female; 2 = male Pregnancy.outcome Outcome of pregnancy: 0 = failed; 1= success; 2 = CBD; 3 = N/A Left.lung.score Lung scores were assigned to each animal based on overall lung findings and the presence/absence and severity of abnormalities for the left lung field. Ultrasound exams were conducted and evaluated by an experienced marine mammal veterinarian: 0 = normal; 1 = mild; 2 = moderate; 3 = severe; NE = not examined Right.lung.score Lung scores were assigned to each animal based on overall lung findings and the presence/absence and severity of abnormalities for the right lung field. Ultrasound exams were conducted and evaluated by an experienced marine mammal veterinarian: 0 = normal; 1 = mild; 2 = moderate; 3 = severe; NE = not examined Overall.lung.score Left and right lung scores were combined to determine an overall lung score for each animal by an experienced marine mammal veterinarian: 0 = normal; 1 = mild; 2 = moderate; 3 = severe; NE = not examined Mean.pre-ETCO2.mmHg Capnography measurement of mean end-tidal CO2 from pre-exam blood draw (mmHg) Mean.post-ETCO2.mmHg Capnography measurement of mean end-tidal CO2 from post-exam blood draw (mmHg) Blood.draw.time Time (24:00) blood was drawn for analysis CG4+_time.min Time between blood draw and CG4+ iStat cartridge processing (min) CG4+_PaCO2.mmHg Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (using CG4+ iStat cartridge) CG4+_PaO2.mmHg Partial pressure of oxygen (using CG4+ iStat cartridge) CG4+_pH pH (using CG4+ iStat cartridge) CG4+_TCO2.mmol/L Total carbon dioxide (using CG4+ iStat cartridge) CG4+_Lact.mmol/L Lactate (using CG4+ iStat cartridge) CG4+_HCO3.mmol/L Bicarbonate (using CG4+ iStat cartridge) CG4+_Beecf.mmol/L Base excess in the extracellular fluid compartment (using CG4+ iStat cartridge) CG4+_sO2.percent Oxygen saturation (using CG4+ iStat cartridge) Chem8+_time.min Time between blood draw and Chem8+ iStat cartridge processing (min) Chem8+_TCO2.mmol/L Total carbon dioxide (using Chem8+ iStat cartridge) Chem8+_AnGap.mmol/L Anion gap (using Chem8+ iStat cartridge)

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