ArticleVeterinary clinical pathology2019
Effect of age, sex, and season on the variation in blood analytes of a clinically normal ex situ population of killer whales (Orcinus orca).
Article in Veterinary clinical pathology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed.
- Blood cell morphology, ultrastructure and cytochemistry in marine mammals: a narrative comparative review.Veterinary research communications · 2026Review
- Blood parameters of wild-caught harbor seals (Frontiers in veterinary science · 2026Article
- Comprehensive assessment of the physical and health features of the threatened Araguaian River dolphin Inia araguaiaensis.PloS one · 2025Article
- Infrared Thermography of the Blowhole as a Potential Diagnostic Tool for Health Assessment in Killer Whales (Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Article
- Article
- Effects of sex, age, and season on the variation of blood analytes in a clinically healthyThe veterinary quarterly · 2020Article
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and hemoglobin-binding protein in free-living box turtles (Terrapene spp.).PloS one · 2020Article
- Effect of age, sex, and season on the variation in blood analytes of a clinically normal ex situ population of killer whales (Orcinus orca).Veterinary clinical pathology · 2019Article
- Hematologic and Biochemical Reference Interval Development and the Effect of Age, Sex, Season, and Location on Hematologic Analyte Concentrations in Critically Endangered Yangtze Finless Porpoise (Frontiers in physiology · 2019Article
- Physiological consequences of biologic state and habitat dynamics on the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoises (Conservation physiology · 2018Article
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6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundThe effects of sex, age, and season on blood analyte concentrations have not been investigated for the killer whale (Orcinus orca). Defining these changes provides background data for improving the care of managed populations and defines normal changes that could occur in wild counterparts.
objectivesWe aimed to define hematologic and serum biochemical variation by age, sex, and season for an ex situ killer whale population.
methodsBlood samples collected from killer whales during normal wellness exams were retrospectively identified. Killer whales were categorized by age; calf (0-2.9 years), juvenile (3-10.9 years), early adult (11-20.9 years), adult (21-30.9 years), and aged (>30.9 years); sex; and season. Standard CBC and biochemistry were collated, and only samples without evidence of disease were used. A mixed effects maximum likelihood regression with animal identification (ID) as the random effects variable was used to compare groups with a significance set at P ≤ 0.01.
resultsAll analytes differed by age, while only four differed by sex. Red blood cell parameters and associated renal analytes increased with age, while liver-associated analytes and glucose decreased. Season affected 59% of the blood analytes.
conclusionsAged killer whales showed strong evidence of altered physiology as compared with younger animals. Anemia did not develop with age as was observed in one bottlenose dolphin population. Observed decreases in renal function could be caused by chronic disease or dehydration. Decreases in immune function parameters suggest immune senescence. These results provide background data for evaluating the health of managed and free-ranging killer whales.
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