Haematological and serum biochemistry profile of the juvenile wild African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse – 1840) in Nsukka, South-Eastern Nigeria – a preliminary investigation

Abstract

The study evaluated the haematological and serum biochemistry profile of juvenile wild African giant rat and determined the influence of sex on the haematological and serum biochemistry parameters. These evaluations were carried out on 18 juvenile wild African giant rats of either sex, in Nsukka, southeastern Nigeria, within the months of March–May 2014. Standard procedures were carried out in all the haematological and serum biochemical determinations. The overall mean with the minimum and maximum values for some of the hemato-biochemical parameters were as follows: packed cell volume – 34.87 ± 0.76 % (31.00 – 39.00); red blood cell count – 9.33 ± 0.66 × 106/μl (6.26 – 13.40); hemoglobin concentration – 10.27 ± 0.22 g/dl (9.26 – 12.63); total leukocyte count - 7.74 ± 0.14 × 103/μl (7.00 – 9.05); aspartate aminotransferase – 76.15 ± 6.68 IU/L (54.58 – 128.54); alanine aminotransferase – 18.09 ± 1.61 IU/L(11.91 – 25.49); alkaline phosphatase – 102.08 ± 2.43 IU/L (83.18 – 111.82); total proteins – 4.70 ± 0.10 g/dl (4.03 – 5.18). The females had significantly higher (p < .05) serum ALT, blood urea nitrogen and albumin values than males. The present study has presented preliminary information on the range of haematological and serum biochemistry parameters which may be useful to biomedical researchers and veterinary clinicians.