EFFECT OF SEX, SEASON AND EXERCISE ON SOME BLOOD CONSTITUIENTS OF GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS IN THE SUDAN

Abstract

The current study evaluated some hematological and biochemical parameters of German shepherd dogs under Sudan condition as well as the effect of sex, season, and exercise. Thirty three healthy dogs (14 males, 19 females) aged 2 to 4 years belonging to the Police Directorate for Dogs at Khartoum State were used in this study. Five ml of venous blood were taken from the cephalic vein and CBC analysis was immediately performed using the Sysmex KX2 hematology analyzer, Mindray BS-2000 for Biochemical parameters analysis, and SpectrophotometerAVI -574 for erythrocyte osmotic fragility determination. Females showed highly significant (p≤0.02) value for red cell distribution weidth (RDW) than males (14.68±1.95vs14.14±0.53) whereas, males showed high numerical values of red cell count (6.60±0.81vs6.35±0.74×1012), hemoglobin concentration, (Hb) (18.25±2.26vs17.09±3.71 gm/dl), white blood cells count (WBC) (10.49±2.85vs9.41±2.78×109/L), Neutrophil (79.50±13.73vs74.23±13.79%) and Mix cells (52.77±12.01vs50.61±9.42%). Females showed highly significant (p≤0.02) value of platelets count (PLT) (193.11±80.21vs170.50±43.78×109/L)and Platelet crit (PCT) (0.14±0.09vs0.11±0.67%) than males. Highly positive significant (P≤0.01) correlations were observed between PDW and MCH, MCV, but highly negative correlation was found between PDW and RDW, RBC in the all dogs. Moreover highly positive significant (P≤0.01) correlation was found between PLT and PCT in female and all the dogs. No significant correlations found between PLT and MPV, PDW in the two sexes. However, no significant correlations were detected between RBC and PLT, PCT, and HCT in the all dogs. During winter PCT(0.120±0.07ƒL), PDW(16.03±0.55%) ,and Neutrophil(83.16±15.30%) were significantly(P≤0.05) increased, while the MPV(9.42±0.81),Total protein(6.94±1.02g/dl),and globulin (3.47±8.05g/dl) were decreased. Significant increase (P≤0.05) in PLT (205.58±69.31×109/L), triglyceride (159.37±20.65mg/dl) and urea (44.15±10.60mg/dl) were observed in summer. Albumin significantly (P≤0.05) decreased (3.03±0.51g/dl) and lymphocyte increased (94.45±3.19%) during autumn. RBC, HCT, MCV were decreased numerically immediately and after one hour of exercise. Lymphocytes decreased immediately and at one hour post exercise. PLT significantly (P≤0.04) increased (118.60±39.67×109/L) immediately post exercise. Hemolysis of erythrocyte started at Nacl concentration of o.55% in all the dogs. Males erythrocytes were more resistant than females. All the obtained results were within the normal range values, that German shepherd dogs are well adapted to the climate condition of the Sudan. Effect of sex, season and exercise should be considered in clinical interpretation of dogs’ hematological and biochemical variables.