Page 1038 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse
P. 1038
Haematology and biochemistry parameters for the adult donkey
VetBooks.ir
BLOOD TESTS
The haematological and biochemical normal values for the donkey differ from those of the
horse, so blood samples should ideally be submitted to a laboratory regularly dealing with
samples from donkeys. The values from the Donkey Sanctuary are tabulated above.
Two significant differences are:
• the donkey’s red cell count is significantly lower than that of the horse but the red cell
volume is about twice the size, leading to an overall haemoglobin level (the oxygen
carrying molecule), only slightly lower than that of the horse.
• The resting triglyceride level of the donkey (0.6–2.8mm/l) is higher than that quoted for
the horse (<0.35mm/l).
