Serum and plasma biochemical values of health loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta)

Inappropriate sample handling of blood, the different collection procedures and integrity of incoming samples are significant limits to a correct interpretation of physiological ranges by practicing veterinarians in sea turtles. Several studies show the changes between serum or plasma biochemical determinations in large populations of sea turtles, but the comparison among data, methods and biochemical analysis is difficult in this species. In order to assess physiological parameters for healthy loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), and therefore develop comparison between serum and plasma patterns of total protein, albumin, creatinine, urea, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) n. 23 healthy loggerhead sea turtles (15 juvenile and eight subadult) were studied. Blood samples were collected daily from the occipital venous sinus from all turtles during three consecutive years. Plasma total protein, albumin and creatinine concentrations were similar to serum biochemical values. On the other hand, plasma urea concentrations were higher (P<0.05), and AST and ALT activities were lower (P<0.001) than serum determinations. On the basis of different age, subadult subjects showed serum urea concentrations lower (P<0.05) and serum AST activity higher (P<0.05) than serum values of juvenile subjects. No significant differences were observed between plasma values of juvenile and subadult subjects. In addition, plasma ASTactivity both of juvenile (P<0.001) and subadult (P<0.001), and ALT activity of subadult (P<0.05) subjects were lower than serum determinations. Data obtained showed significant differences between serum and plasma biochemical parameters in healthy sea turtles and only in serum values between juvenile and subadult subjects.