Diakakis N.1, Mylonakis M. E.2, Roubies N.3, Koutinas C.2, Fytianou A.3, Koutinas A. F.2

The purpose of this study was to establish the reference values of the most useful biochemical parameters from a clinical point of view in pleasure horses kept in northern greek riding clubs. This biochemical profile included a total of 23 parameters such as total proteins, albumins, globulins, the albumin/globulin ratio, urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, total and direct bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotrasferase (ALT), aspartate aminotrasferase (AST), gamma-glutamylotransferase (γ-GT), creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogonase (LDH), sorbitol dehydrogonase (SD), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), sodium (Na) and magnesium (Mg). A total of 107 horses, which had been considered clinically normal on historical, clinical and hematological grounds, were sampled. All the measurements were done in the blood serum, applying the relevant methods and reagents which are normally used in the Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, A.U.T.. Besides the establishment of the reference interval for each biochemical parameter, all the factors that may cause an abnormal increase or decrease are discussed accordingly.

Key words: : biochemical parameters, horse, reference interval

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