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The influence of age and gender on haematological parameters in protected and endengered murinsulaner horses

The aim of this study was to establish a set of referral values and the influence of age and gender on haematology parameters in protected and endengered Murinsulaner horses in Croatia. For that purpose we collected blood from complete healthy population of Murinsulaner horses. So far haematology data wasn't published for these animals. In order to protect the population and to give them proper medical care we need to determine specific referral haematology values. Haematology values were established in 33 healthy Murinsulaner horses, divided in four groups according to sex and age ; males (n=5) and females (n=28) and horses younger and older than 7 years ( n=14 versus n=19). All animals belong to private owners united in Croatian Organisation for breeding and protection of Murinsulaner horses, located around Murinsula region. Whole blood was collected into 8 ml EDTA vacutainer tubes and transported to the haematology laboratory within 3 hours of collection. All samples were processed in the same days of collection using IDEXX laserCyte automatic counter, validated for horses. The following parameters were determined: haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hameoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), platelet count and differencial white blood cell count (percentage of different WBC subtypes). The mean RBC, WBC, haemeoglobin concentration, PCV, MCV, MCH and MCHC are presented in Table 1. All parameters are within published referral ranges for coldblooded horses. Statistically significant age related changes were observed only for WBC, especially for lymphocytes. The decrease in WBC count in healthy aged horses may contribute to an age-associated decrease in immunocompetency, and has already been described in other horse breeds (McFarlane et al., 2001., Čebulj-Kadunc et al., 2003, Satue et al., 2009.) Discussion: Horses haematology values are helpfull in diagnosis making of organic, infectious and several parasitic deseases. Also, it can be used in recovery monitoring during desease treatment and to assess the metabolic changes of a single animal or an entire herd. Haematology data for several particular horse breeds as well as for horses in general, are available (Feldman et al., 2000). The normal ranges of haematology parameters in healthy individual horse are quite narow, whereas normal values for a breed fall into a broad range (Feldman et al., 2000). The horse is unique in comparison to most other mammalian species, horse spleen is a very capacious organ, storing up to one third of the RBC, and this reserve can be mobilised by excersise, stress or exitement (Satue et al., 2009). The degree of exitement during blood withdraval depends on the temperament and the breed. For example, according to Satue et al., 2009 ; andalusian horses are less nervous than other warmblooded breeds such as thoroughbreds and arabians, resulting in several lower hamatological reference values for that breed, diagnosis making of slight anaemia is difficult in some cases, when dealing with that animals. In comparation to warmblooded horses, coldblooded breeds have lower RBC counts, haemoglobin and PCV values and blood volume. The erithrocite sedimentation ratio (ESR) is relatively higher in cold-blooded animals. The mean N:L ratio in a cold-blooded horse is 1.7:1.0. compared to 1.0:1.0 in Thoroughbreds and Arabians. American miniature horses have a lower RBC count as do donkey and ponies, and an N:L ratio opposite that of full-sized horses (37:59 versus 53:39). In order to improve diagnostic accuracy normal hematology values need to be defined for each equine breed because majority of automatic haematology counters use referral values obtained only on commercial horse breeds. Referral values for Murinsulaner horses are within ranges like other coldblooded breeds. Influence of age and sex is difficult to interprete due to extremelly small population has left. There is only obvious age related decrease of WBC count probably due to age related decrease of immunocompetency. For more accurate and better results repeated blood sampling is needed, it is doubtfull their welfare standards for those endengered and protected animals.

murinsulaner horse; haematological referral values; sex; age

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