Preliminary Studies on Some Haematological and Serum Biochemical Parameters of Apparently Healthy Adult Horses in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Some haematological and serum biochemical parameters in twenty one apparently healthy adult horses in Maiduguri were examined to establish their reference values. The mean red blood cell (RBC) counts, packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin(Hb) concentration, white blood cell (WBC) counts, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin(MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were found to be comparable with the normal values. The mean absolute values of neutrophil, eosinophil, lymphocyte, monocyte and basophil were also within the normal range. The mean serum values of sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate, as well as urea, creatinine and alanine aminotransferase(ALT) enzyme did not differ from the normal values, while the mean aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzyme value appeared to be lower than the normal range.In conclusion, the RBC, PCV , Hb, WBC, MCV, MCH, MCHC, neurophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes monocytes, basophils, sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, urea, creatinine and ALT values recorded in horses in Maiduguri were comparable with those values reported in other clinically healthy horses in different parts of the world.