DOI: 10.7589/2014-08-201 Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 51(3), 2015, pp. 795–799 # Wildlife Disease Association 2015 Hematologic and Biochemical Reference Values of the Australian Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes) Tammy L. McDonogh, 1 Paul P. Thompson, 1 Cheryl R. Sangster, 1 Phoebe J. B. Meagher, 1 and Larry Vogelnest 1,2 1 Taronga Wildlife Hospital, PO Box 20, Mosman, New South Wales 2088, Australia; 2 Corresponding author (email: lvogelnest@zoo.nsw.gov.au) ABSTRACT: We provide hematologic (n534) and biochemical (n530) blood values for wild- caught Australian bush rats (Rattus fuscipes). Hematology values have similar range limits compared with other rat species. Biochemistry values for glucose, alanine transaminase, aspar- tate aminotransferase, and creatine kinase have higher maximum ranges compared with other rats. The Australian bush rat (Rattus fuscipes) is widespread throughout southeastern Aus- tralia. It is a small rodent, preferring the dense groundcover of shrubs, and is primar- ily nocturnal (Strahan 2008). There has been increasing interest in determining whether the reintroduction of Australian bush rats in areas where they were once established could compete with the introduced black rat (Rattus rattus) populations (Heavener 2014). To monitor the ongoing health of Australian bush rats in translocation studies, hematologic and biochemical reference values must first be determined. Despite the species’ abundance, minimal health data are available. In August 2011, 101 Australian bush rats were live-trapped over 1 wk at two sites in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, New South Wales (33u3993.60S, 151u1293.60E). Health assessments, including blood sam- pling, were conducted during a transloca- tion study to areas in northern Sydney investigating whether the presence of Australian bush rats might prevent re- establishment of the black rat in these areas (Heavener 2014). Adult and subadult rats were housed for 1–6 d before veni- puncture; approximate ages were recorded when possible. Because of limited blood volume, 30 individuals (17 males and 13 females) were randomly selected for bio- chemistry and 34 (15 males and 19 females) for hematology, aiming to reflect sex and site adequately. Animals were anesthetized using isoflurane (Abbot Laboratories, Botany, Australia) in oxygen via facemask. All animals in this study were assessed as being in good health based on physical examination while under anesthesia. We collected 0.3–1.0 mL of blood from the subclavian vein depending on the animal’s weight (70–155 g). For biochemis- try analysis, blood was collected into Mini- CollectH lithium-heparin tubes (Greiner Bio-One, Orlando, Florida, USA). For hematology, ethylenediaminetetraacetic ac- id–coated Greiner Bio-One MiniCollectH tubes (REM Systems, North Ryde, Austra- lia) were used. Samples for biochemistry were analyzed on a VetScanH VS2 analyzer (REM Systems) using the comprehensive profile rotor for glucose, urea, creatinine, calcium, phosphate, sodium, potassium, total protein, albumin, globulin, total biliru- bin, amylase, alanine transaminase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase. Cholesterol, tri- glycerides, creatine kinase (CK), gamma- glutamyl transferase (GGT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured using a ReflotronH (DTS Diagnostics, Wetherill Park, Australia). Total white blood cell count was de- termined using a conventional Neubauer method (Merck 1984). For the 100-cell differential count and red blood cell morphology, a blood film was stained using Quick Dip (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Scoresby, Australia). The smear was also scanned for parasites. The red blood cell indices were determined using the VetScan HM5 analyzer (REM Systems). Data were analyzed using SYSTAT 13 (Systat Soft- ware, San Jose, California, USA). Statistical significance was set at P#0.05. The mean, median, SD, 95% confidence intervals, and 795 Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/doi/pdf/10.7589/2014-08-201 by guest on 04 November 2021