Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine,
Qassim University, P.O. Box 6622, Buraidah 51452, Saudi Arabia
ABSTRACT
Ten animals were divided into two equal groups according to short (150–200 km) or long (250–400 km) transportation distance. Compared to 10 clinically healthy control animals, the glucose level, globulin concentration, neutrophil count, catalase and total antioxidant capacity activity were significantly higher in the camels after both the short- and long-distance lorry transportation, while the eosinophil count and super oxide dismutase activity were significantly lower. Long-distance transportation resulted in elevated creatinine, but lowered albumin in the camels. The long-distance group also exhibited a significant increase in total T3 and total T4 levels; however, their TSH levels were significantly lower than in the control camels. The short-distance lorry transportation of camels led to an elevation of the white blood cell count and haemoglobin concentration, but lower haematocrit % and lymphocyte count. Thus, the altered thyroid hormone levels and changes in the physiological metabolic profiles taken together may be effective biomarkers of transportation stress in this species. Finally, it was cleared that the obtained pathophysiological changes may be resulted from the transportation-induced stress in hyperglycaemic animals.
Key words: Blood, dromedary camel, hyperglycaemic lorry transportation, thyroid
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