Elevated levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine in the last trimester of pregnancy of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius)

BACKGROUND: The knowledge of blood parameters is important for assessing the physiological status and health of animals. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine the effect of heavy pregnancy on some serum indices of dromedary camels. METHODS: Twenty clinically healthy female dromedary camels aged between 4-5 years were divided into two equal groups: I: pregnant camels in their last trimester; and II: non-pregnant age-matched controls. The concentration of glucose, calcium, phosphorus, albumin, total protein, uric acid, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine and the activity of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), was measured. RESULTS: The results of this study show that the concentrations of glucose, calcium and phosphorus remained unchanged in pregnant camels compared to non-pregnant ones. The concentrations of serum BUN and creatinine in pregnant camels were higher, and these aforementioned differences were significant (p=0. 02 and 0.003 respectively). GGT activity was lower in pregnant than in non-pregnant camels (p=0. 04). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in BUN and creatinine levels might be part of the homeorhetic mechanisms for adaptation of camels during heavy pregnancy. The high urea-recycling rate in camels may transfer urea to the gastrointestinal tract as a source of “non-protein nitrogen” instead of being excreted as urine. The reduction of GGT as at the time of heavy pregnancy, may be attributed to its conversion to glutathione, as an antioxidant