Lizard Blood Values

Baseline haematology and biochemistry values of 'normals' must be established per patient and per laboratory. It is very useful to establish normals for individual patients at the time of regular health checks before the animals are presented for sickness. Values may vary depending on season, breeding condition and diet. The following values have been taken from various sources and reflect the laboratory methods as well as the individual species. Caution is advised when using these values for the interpretation of your own patients' blood results.

Normal haematology & plasma biochemistry values in the green iguana (Iguana iguana)

Ten wild caught iguanas were blood sampled as part of a health assessment prior to introduction to an existing group. The iguanas were manually restrained by holding the forelimbs laterally against their chest and the hindlimbs against the tail. Blood was collected from the ventral tail vein and placed in lithium heparin. A fresh blood smear was made at the time of collection. Urea, creatinine and LDH were considered poor diagnostic parameters.

Haematology	Values		Biochemistry	Values
Total RBC count (x 10^12/l)	1.0-1.9		Total protein (g/l)	50-78
PCV (l/l)	0.25-0.38		Albumin (g/l)	21-28
Hb (g/dl)	6.0-10.0		Globulin (g/l)	25-43
MCV (fl)	165-305		Uric acid (mmol/l)	70-140
MCH (pg)	48-78		ALP (iu/l)	50-290
MCHC (g/dl)	20-38		ALT (iu/l)	5-68
Total WBC count (x 10^9/l)	3-10		AST (iu/l)	5-52
Heterophils (x 10^9/l)	0.35-5.2		GGT (iu/l)	0-3
Azurophils (x 10^9/l)	0.0-1.7		Cholesterol (mmol/l)	2.7-8.6
Lymphocytes (x 10^9/l)	0.5-5.5		Triglycerides (mmol/l)	0.6-7.8
Eosinophils (x 10^9/l)	0.0-0.3		Glucose (mmol/l)	9.4-16.0
Monocytes (x 10^9/l)	0.0-0.1		Calcium (mmol/l)	2.2-3.5
Basophils (x 10^9/l)	0.0-0.5		Phosphorus (mmol/l)	1.5-3.0

References

• Divers, S. (1996). Normal haematology & plasma biochemistry values in the green iguana. British Veterinary Zoological Society, Summer newsletter 1996:5-6.

Haematology and biochemistry of selected lizards (American units)

	Prehensile-tailed skink (Corucia sp.)	Green iguana (Iguana iguana)	Iguanid lizard (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)
Haematology
PCV (%)	35 (24-60)	45-52
RBC(10^12/l)	1.5 (0.8-1.4)	3.5-5.8
Hb (g/dl)	9.6 (7.4-11.6)	7.1
MCV (fl)	263 (152-600)	78-149
MCH (pg)	69 (42-111)	12-20
MCHC (g/dl)	28 (17-56)	14-16
WBC (x 10^9/l)	12.4 (3.9-22.4)	9 (4.3-15.0)
Heterophils (%)	37 (16-58)	5-55
Azurophils (%)	22 (8-42)
Lymphocytes (%)	22 (2-40)	35-55
Eosinophils (%)	4(0-18)	2
Monocytes (%)	0.6 (0-6)	<4
Basophils (%)	15 (4-26)	rare
Biochemistry
ALT (iu/l)		35-90	13 (3-38)
AP (iu/l)		30-95	14 (4-30)
AST (iu/l)	19 (<4-76)	20-65	179 (34-400)
Bilirubin total (mg/dl)		0.4-1.0	0.2 (0.1-0.5)
BUN (mg/dl)		6-15	2 (1-5)
Calcium (mg/dl)	13 (11-21)	9-13	11 (8-30)
Chloride (mEq/l)	124 (123-129)	102-125	120 (12-155)
Cholesterol (mg/dl)	144 (11-252)	210 (110-250)	243 (100-399)
Creatine kinase (iu/l)	210 (27-940)	90-300	4500 (700-14.240)
Creatinine (mg/dl)		0.1-0.7	0.5 (0.2-1.8)
GGT (iu/l)
Glucose (mg/dl)	100 (70-122)	197-280	355 (255-575)
LDH (iu/l)		150-400	789 (145-2915)
Magnesium (mEq/l)		0.9
Phosphorus (mg/dl)	3.7 (2.8-6.7)	3.5-6.0	5.5 (2.8-10.0)
Potassium (mEq/l)	3.6 (1.4-5.0)	3.6-5.2	2.6 (0.4-7.0)
Protein total (g/dl)	6.5 (5-8)	2.8-5.0	3.8 (2.4-5.4)
Albumin (g/dl)		1.0-1.6	2.3 (1.6-3.0)
Globulin (g/l)			1.5 (0.8-2.4)
a:g ratio			1.7 (1.0-2.3)
Sodium (mEq/l)	158 (145-167)	140-158	164 (137-245)
Thyroxine (ìg/dl)		1.5-4.6
Uric acid (mg/dl)	1.6 (<0.3-3.1)	2.8-6.0	5.6 (2.4-13.3)

References

• Wright, K.M. & Skeba, S. (1992). Hematology and plasma chemistries of captive prehensile-tailed skinks (Corucia zebrata). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 23:429-432.
• Carpenter, J.W., Mashima, T.Y. & Rupiper, D.J. (1996). Exotic Animal Formulary. Greystone Publications, Kansas. Pp. 74-76.
• Kopplin, R.P., Tarr, R.S. & Iverson, C.N.M. (1983). Serum profile of the iguanid lizard (Dipsosaurus dorsalis). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 14:30-32.

Haematology and biochemistry of chameleons

• 38 samples from 35 individuals – 8 institutions
• ISIS values
• International units

Haematology	Values		Biochemistry	Values
RBC (x10^12)	0.84-1.93		Total protein (g/l)	42 - 76
WBC (x10^9)	7.68-19.99		Albumin (g/l)	13 - 33
PCV (l/l)	0.19-0.40		Urea (mmol/l)	1.1-5.3
Haemaglobin (g/l)	3.6-11.6		ALK (iu/l)	10-207
MCV (fl)	145 - 353		Cholesterol (mmol/l)	3.09-6.53
MCH (pg)	42.4 - 88.2		Uric acid (umol/l)	180 - 325
MCHC (g/dl)	271-342		Calcium (mmol/l)	2.48-3.43
Heterophils (x 10^9)	2.0-7.23		AST (iu/l)	15 - 247
Eosinophils (x 10^9)	0.12-1.67		GOT (iu/l)	0-1
Lymphocytes (x 10^9)	0.92-8.34		LDH (iu/l)	42-392
Monocytes (x 10^9)	0.12 0.57		Sodium (mmol/l)	136 - 169
Basophils (x 10^9)	0.00-26.3		Potassium (mmol/l)	3.1-5.1
Azurophils (x 10^9)	0.40-3.23		Chloride (mmol/l)	114 - 130
Thrombocytes			Phosphorus (mmol/l)	1.35-2.91

Bosc monitor blood values

Anecdotal information - International units

CBC	Values		Biochemistry	Values		Electrolytes	Values
PCV	20-35%		uric	90-300		sodium	145-190
WBC	3-10		Ca	2.1-3.2		K	3.2-4.3
			PO	1.1-2.5		Cl	142-155
			AST	20-140
			TP	55-85
			Glu	3.5-9.6
			Amylase	150-700
			Chol	2.5-7.5
			Trig	1.0-4.5

Haematology and biochemistry of the inland bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps)

Haematology for 21 inland bearded dragons.

	Unit	Mean	SD	Range
WBC	10^3/ul	12.053	4.084	6.736-19.946
Heterophils	%	27	8	17-43
	10^3/ul	3.325	1.634	1.619-7.339
Lymphocytes	%	59	7	47-69
	10^3/ul	7.053	2.410	4.012-12.033
Monocytes	%	1	1	0-4
	10^3/ul	0.105	0.163	0-0.499
Basophils	%	9	4	2-18
	10^3/ul	1.125	0.729	0.205-3.191
Azurophils	%	4	2	0-9
	10^3/ul	0.414	0.288	0-1.085
Hematocrit	%	27	7	17-50
Total solids	g/dl	6.6	1.2	4.5-9.5
	g/l	66	12	45-95

Plasma chemistry values of inland bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps).

• Sample size for the WBC and differential, TS, PCV glucose, uric acid, calcium, and phosphorus was 21; for cholesterol, sodium, chloride, potassium, BUN, ALT and AST, sample size was 20.
• All values of ALT were < 3 iu/L, with the exception of one value of 5. NA = not applicable.

	Unit	Mean	SD	Range
Glucose	mmol/I	11.7	2.2	7.72-16.2
	mg/dl	210	40	139-291
BUN	mmol/l	0.7	0.2	<0.7-1.4
	mg/dl	1	0.4	<1-2
Uric acid	mmol/l	310	150	95-678
	mg/dl	5.2	2.6	1.6-11.4
Calcium	mmol/l	2.95	0.95	2.2-6.8
	mg/dl	11.8	3.8	8.6-27.2
Phosphorus	mmol/l	1.9	0.61	1.1-3.2
	mg/dl	5.9	1.9	3.5-9.8
Cholesterol	mmol/l	17.4	5.92	8.07-31.7
	mg/dl	671	229	312-1224
ALT	iu/l	< 3	NA	< 3-5
AST	iu/l	13	9	4-40
Sodium	mmol/l or mEq/l	153	15	141-190
Chloride	mmol/l or mEq/l	123	13	80-140
Potassium	mmol/l or mEq/l	3.6	1.7	1.0-6.5
Calcium:Phosphorus		2.2	0.8	0.9-3.8

References

• Eliman, M.M. (1997). Hematology and plasma chemistry of the inland bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps. In Bulletin of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians 7(4).

Prehensile-tailed skink (Corucia zebrata)

ISIS values, International units

Haematology

	WBC	RBC count	Hb	PCV	MCV	MCH	MCHC
Mean +/- s.d.	13.68 - 6.333	1.50 - 0.26	89 - 19	0.333 - 0.073	249.0 - 104.0	70.1 - 18.7	279 - 71
No. of samples (individuals)	37 - 33	26 - 24	27 - 24	38 - 35	26 - 24	17 - 15	25 - 23
Range: min - max	3.930 - 31.60	0.84 - 1.93	36 - 116	0.190 - 0.600	152.0 - 600.0	42.4 - 110.7

Differential

	Heterophils	Lymphocytes	Monocytes	Eosinophils	Basophils	Azurophils	Thrombocytes
Mean +/- s.d.	4.711 - 2.053	4.792 - 3.817	0.307 - 0.246	0.878 - 0.877	1.720 - 1.919	1.861 - 0.831
No. of samples (individuals)	37 - 33	37 - 33	13 - 13	22 - 20	34 - 31	13 - 13
Range: min - max	1.010 - 12.00	0.332 - 16.50	0.079 - 0.948	0.125 - 3.160	0.104	0.400 - 3.232

Chemistry=

	Calcium	Phosphorus	Sodium	Potassium	Chloride	Iron
Mean +/- s.d.	3.03 - 0.4	1.23 - 0.32	161 - 8	4.1 - 1.0	124 - 6
No. of samples (individuals)	35 - 32	31 - 29	35 - 31	35 - 31	25 - 23
Range: min - max	2.48 - 4.15	0.78 - 2.13	138 - 178	2.6 - 7.3	114 - 140