Abstract

PADILLA, Sergio E.; WEBER, Manuel  and  JACOBSON, Elliott. Comparison of sodium and lithium heparin anticoagulants in plasma biochemistry of Morelet's crocodiles (Crocodylus moreletii) in Campeche, Mexico. Vet. Méx [online]. 2009, vol.40, n.2, pp.203-211. ISSN 0301-5092.

Lithium heparin and sodium heparin anticoagulants were compared with the aim to measure concentrations and activity of selected plasma biochemical analytes in wild and captive Morelet's crocodiles (Crocodylus moreletii). Blood samples were obtained from the ventral caudal tail vein in 63 crocodiles (32 wild and 30captive) and each sample was placed in both lithium heparin and sodium heparin. Plasma was removed and duplicate samples were assayed for the following: cholesterol, glucose, uric acid, creatinine and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The only analyte having a significant difference (t = -2.95, df = 56, P < 0.01) when comparing the two anticoagulants was ALT. Still, the difference was not considered to be clinically significant. The results of this study indicates that the type of heparin used as an anticoagulant, does not affect concentratrions and activity of certain plasma biochemicals of Morelet's crocodiles, and perhaps other species of crocodilians.

Keywords : anticoagulants; Campeche; crocodile; Crocodylus moreletii; plasma biochemistry; heparin.

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