Comparative haematological investigations in two bird species from the order Psittaciformes: Psittacula krameri and Melopsittacus undulatus

Abstract

The knowledge of the hematological parameters itʼs one of the most important indicators of the health evaluation. The aim of these studies was to investigate the main hematological values, including the morphology and the morphometry of the blood cells, in a comparative way of two bird species belonging to the order Psittaciformes: Psittacula krameri and Melopsittacus undulatus. Five adult birds from each species were analyzed, the blood samples being taken from the jugular vein on EDTA containers. In Psittacula krameri the values obtained were: RBC = 2.98x106/μl (±0.16); Hb = 14.46 g/dl (±0.76); HCT = 43.4% (±3.21); MCV = 145.62 fl (±2.95); MCH = 48.58 pg (±1.23); MCHC = 33.36 g/dl (±1.33); thrombocytes = 116x103/μl (±25,84); leucocytes: WBC = 14.46x103/μl (±1.21), heterophils = 52.74% (±4.04), eosinophils = 0.48% (±0.44), basophils = 1.28% (±1.7), monocytes = 6.18% (±1.47) and lymphocytes = 39.32% (±3.79). In Melopsittacus undulatus the following values were obtained: RBC = 4.04x106/μl (±0.15); Hb = 15.26 g/dl (±0.86); HCT = 54.2% (±5.12); MCV = 134.08 fl (±7.98); MCH = 37.81 pg (±1.14); MCHC = 28.26 g/dl (±1.39); thrombocytes = 86.2x103/μl (±6.98); leucocytes: WBC = 21.42x103/μl (±1.85), heterophils = 39.4% (±3.93), eosinophils = 0.28% (±0.33), basophils = 4.22% (±1.36), monocytes = 8.82% (±1.32l) and lymphocytes = 47.28% (±3.89). H/L ratio was higher in parrots. Average morphometric values of the blood cells in showed significant differences for monocytes which are larger in Psittacula krameri (p≤0.001), less differences for the heterophils, lymphocytes and platelets which are also larger in Psittacula krameri (p≤0.01) and very reduced differences for erythrocytes (except the nucleus width), eosinophils and basophils (p≤0.01). The researches concluded that there are differences regarding the most of the parameters, even if they are related species, including the morphometric values.