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Ý ß Biochem10- Normal Biochemistry Values for Ursus arctos - Brown bear

Reference Values

(Please note that the references are given in the units in the original publication and that "SD" represents "Standard Deviation" Reference ranges are only as good as the data entered, and as consistent as the laboratory standards allow.  Users should use their professional judgement in viewing these values

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Parameter

Units

 Ref 1.
Mean +/- SD		 Ref 1.
Range		 Ref 2.
Mean +/- SD (SE)		 Ref 2.
Range		 Ref 3.
Mean +/- SE		 Ref 4a.
Mean +/- 		 Ref 4b.
Mean +/- 		 Ref 5.
Mean +/- SD		 Ref 6a.
Range		 Ref 6b.
Range		 Ref 7.
Range		 Ref 8a.
Mean +/- SD Range		 Ref 8a.
 Range		 Ref 8b.
Mean +/- SD		 Ref 8b.
Range		 Ref 8c.
(Single value)		 Ref 9.
Mean +/- SE

Units

 Parameter
Total Protein g/dl 7.3 +/- 0.7 5.7 - 8.8       *6.89 +/- 0.21 7.44 +/- 0.08 8.0 +/- 0.7       7.1 +/- 0.5 g% 6.1 - 8.2 g% 7.2 +/- 0.2 6.8 - 7.5 7.9 5.99 +/- 0.09 g/dl Total Protein
g/L     71.1 +/- 7.96  (1.39) 54.9 - 87.8 65.8 +/- 1.1       53 - 102 64.6 - 76.5 102             g/L
Albumin g/dl 4.0 +/- 0.6 2.7 - 5.4                   4.2 +/- 0.5 g% 3.1 - 5.2 g% 4.0 +/- 0.3 3.6 - 4.5 4.2 3.26 +/- 0.05 g/dl Albumin
g/L         39.0 +/- 0.7                         g/L
%     51.0 +/- 8.07 (1.55) 37.3 - 68.6                           %
Globulin g/dl 3.3 +/- 0.6 2.1 - 5.0                             2.79 +/- 0.06 g/dl Globulin
g/L                                   g/L
%      α1: 4.76 +/- 2.19 (0.42)
α2: 10.4 +/- 4.49 (0.86)
β: 15.8 +/- 4.35 (0.84)
γ: 16.3 +/- 4.88 (0.92)		 α1: 37.3 - 68.6
α2: 3.10 - 23.4
β: 6.8 - 25.6
γ: 7.30 - 25.0		                           %
Albumin/
Globulin		                                   1.23 +/- 0.03   Albumin/
Globulin
Calcium mg/dl (mg%) 9.6 +/- 0.7 6.6 - 11.5           10 +/- 0.6     9.4 - 10.1  10.4 +/- 0.7 g% 8.5 - 11.2 g% 8.4 +/- 0.8 g% 7.6 - 9.4 g% 8.5 g% 8.4 +/- 0.24 mg/dl (mg%) Calcium
mmol/l     2.16 +/- 0.27 (0.07) 1.68 - 2.89 2.3 +/ 0.0 0.38 +/- 0.005 0.38 +/- 0.007   1.58 - 2.54 2.29 - 3.14               mmol/l
Magnesium mg/dl                                   mg/dl Magnesium
mmol/L     0.89 +/- 0.03 (0.01) 0.86 - 0.95         0.80 - 0.98 0.93 - 1.13               mmol/L
Phosphorus mg/dl (mg%) 4.9 +/- 1.0 3.2 - 9.1           4.8 +/- 1.3     5.1 - 8.65  5.1 +/- 1.4 g% 2.8 - 7.9 g%

 

 4.1 +/- 1.2 g% 2.6 - 6.3 g% 3.1 g% 4.5 +/- 0.12 mg/dl (mg%) Phosphorus
mmol/l     1.82 +/- 0.56 (0.15) 0.65 - 3.03 1.7 +/- 0.1 *2.04 +/- 0.13 1.21 +/- 0.07   1.10 - 2.80 1.92 - 2.77               mmol/l
Sodium mEq/L or  mmol/L 136 +/- 5 123 - 150 143 +/- 6.46 (1.56) 133 - 155 193.3 +/- 1.4     139.9 +/- 5.0 134 - 144 138 - 153   145 +/- 8 130 - 168 141 +/- 2 138 - 145 143 135.0 +/- 0.97 mEq/L or mmol/L Sodium
µg/ml                                   µg/ml
Potassium mEq/L or mmol/L 4.4 +/- 0.4 3.6 - 6.1 4.51 +/- 0.31 (0.09) 3.90 - 5.20       4.4 +/- 1.1 4.98 - 7.67 3.70 - 5.25   4.1 =/- 0.5 3.1 - 4.8 4.7 +/- 0.4 3.8 - 5.2 4.9 4.37 +/- 0.06 mEq/L or mmol/l Potassium
µg/ml                                   µg/ml
Chloride

 

 mEq/L or mmol/l 103 +/- 4 94 - 112 108 +/- 5.94 (2.25) 100 - 120       103.7 +/- 4.6       106 +/- 7 89 - 124 108 +/- 5 103 - 120 114 98 +/- 1.03 mEq/L or mmol/l Chloride

 
mgm%                                   mgm%
Creatinine mg/dl 1.8 +/- 0.6 0.5 - 3.9                 1.7 - 2.1 mg% 1.4 +/- 0.7 mg% 0.6 - 3.1 mg% 0.7 +/- 0.1 mg% 0.5 - 0.9 mg% 1.6 0.93 +/- 0.02 mg/dl Creatinine
μmol/l     97.3 +/- 31.9 (4.65) 52.0 - 204 97.3 +/- 3.7 *110.9 /- 7.19 mol/l 207.3 +/- 21.56 mol/l   79.7 - 186 μml/L 58.1 - 83.6 μml/L               mmol/l
Urea nitrogen mg/dl 18 +/- 7 4 - 43           12.3 +/- 3.4     18.7 - 21.8 mg% 37.1 +/- 22.3 mg% 5.0 - 77.0 15.9 +/- 7.0 mg% 5.0 - 28.0 25.0 37 +/- 1.26 mg/dl BUN (Urea nitrogen)
mmol/l     5.74 +/- 2.93 (0.44) 1.00 - 12.7                           mmol/l
Uric acid mg/dl               1.3 +/- 0.3       2.0 +/- 0.8 mg% 1.1 - 4.2 mg% 1.2 +/- 0.3 0.8 - 2.0 3.2 2.0 +/- 0.09 mg/dl Uric acid
mmol/l                                   mmol/l
Cholesterol mg/dl 280 - 100 172 - 1030           317 +/- 81       273 +/- 52 183 - 377 250 +/- 44 191 - 309 283 209 +/- 5.35 mg/dl Cholesterol
mmol/l     7.02 +/- 1.58 (0.34) 5.32 - 12.1   8.5 (one sample) 7.0 (two samples)   3.91 - 6.64 7.96 - 9.33               mmol/l
Glucose mg/dl 123 +/41 22 - 280           92 +/- 30     46.9 - 87 mg% 108 +/- 14 80 - 130 123 +/- 13 114 - 154 -- 97 +/- 2.98 mg/dl Glucose
mmol/l     7.30 +/- 3.00 (0.45) 1.57 - 14.9         2.60 - 12.37 7.55 - 9.58               mmol/l
Iron μg/dl     29.2 +/- 13.4 (2.17) μmol/l 9.20 - 62.1 μmol/l                           μg/dl Iron
AST (SGOT) iu/l 78 +/- 32 25 - 203 101 +/- 101 (15.1) 19.0 - 480   36.0 +/- 2.97 40.6 +/- 4.52 140 +/- 70 16.8 - 123 54 - 75 50 - 58 228 +/- 187 79 - 700 258 +/- 65 154 - 355 (790*) 215 149 +/- 12.27 iu/l AST (SGOT)
ALT (SGPT) iu/l 41 +/- 20 10 - 101 20.9 +/- 12.1 (1.82) 1.00 - 86.0   24.6 +/- 1.11 19.8 +/- 3.63   10 - 49 25.9 - 36 10 - 49           60 +/- 6.80 iu/l ALT (SGPT)
LDH iu/l               648 +/- 290       1122 +/- 169 800 - 1400 1254 +/- 356 652 - 1650 (2925*) 652 628 +/- 20.20 iu/l LDH
CPK (CK) iu/L     342 +/- 448 (95.7) 32.0 - 1,220   49.9 +/- 8.23 54.0 +/- 7.47   5 - 47 14.94 - 17.88 7 - 15             iu/L CPK (CK)
Amylase SU                                   SU Amylase
iu/l     22.6 +/- 8.99 (3.18) 13.0 - 37.0                           iu/l
Alkaline phosphatase iu/l 38 +/- 35 4 - 210 43.6 +/- 21.8 (3.45) 11.0 - 100       56 +/- 37 2.28 - 25 29.9 - 46.1 19 - 38 27 +/- 20 7 - 68 31 +/- 8 21 - 46 48 70 +/- 3.82 iu/l Alkaline phosphatase
GGT iu/l     13.3 +/- 5.54 (0.82) 1.00 - 27.0         5.3 - 29 2.76 - 9.66               iu/l GGT
Lipase iu/l                                   iu/l Lipase
Total bilirubin mg/dl 0.3 +/- 0.2 0.0 - 1.4           0.2 +/- 0.1       0.24 +/- 0.11 0.1 - 0.3 0.19 +/- 0.05 0.1 - 0.3 0.4 0.10 +/- 0.005 mg/dl Total bilirubin
μmol/l     12.4 +/- 9.59 (1.40) 0.20 - 41.1 Female 5.8 +/- 0.4
Male 15.5 +/- 0.3		                         μmol/l
Direct bilirubin mg/dl 0.0 0.0 - 0.1                             0.09 +/- 0.004 mg/dl Direct bilirubin
μmol/l                 13.68 0.87 - 1.93               μmol/l
Indirect bilirubin mg/dl 0.2 0.0 - 0.6                               mg/dl Indirect bilirubin
μmol/l                                   μmol/l
Triglycerides mg/dl                                 168 +/- 5.12 mg/dl Triglycerides
Bicarbonate mEq/dl                                   mEq/dl Bicarbonate
mmol/l                                   mmol/l 
Carbon dioxide mEq/L                                 14.0 +/- 0.55 mEq/L Carbon dioxide
mmol/l                                   mmol/l

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Reference 1.
Wildpro Data Source B336.51.w51
Ref Title Ursidae and Hyenidae. In: Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine Fifth Edition
Ref Author(s) Ramsay, E.C.
Animal Details --
Laboratory Techniques --
Comments Data from ISIS, October 1999

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Reference 2.

Wildpro Data Source J1.33.w19
Ref Title Effects of sex, age, capturing method, and season on serum chemistry values of brown bears in Croatia
Ref Author(s) Huber, D., Kusak, J., Zvorc, Z. & Rafaj, R.B.
Animal Details Forty six European brown bears in Croatia, including 28 free-living (18 males, eight females) and 17 captive (five males, 12 females). All appeared clinically healthy, except for recent bites on three bears during the mating season and recent wounds from snares on the feet of three captured wild bears. (J1.33.w19)
Laboratory Techniques --
Comments
  • Captive bears had significantly lower total bilirubin (P  0.005), BUN (P  0.001), AST (P  0.001), ALT (P 0.049), creatine kinase (P 0.001) and alpha-1 globulins (P 0.003) than did wild bears. The BUN may be related to diet/ The high iron may be related to the captive bears licking the bars of their cages. The higher AST, ALT and CK in the wild bears is probably relate to muscle damage associated with snaring and the bears trying to escape from the snare.
  • Male bears had significantly (P 0.054) higher creatine kinase levels than did female bears.
  • Subadult bears had significantly (P 0.035) higher gamma-globulin concentrations than adults.
  • Bears up to 100 kg body mass had significantly (P 0.015) lower creatine kinase concentrations than did bears over 100 kg.
  • Bears sampled in winter/spring had significantly lower (P 0.039) serum potassium than did bears sampled in summer or fall (autumn). 

(J1.33.w19)

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Reference 3.
Wildpro Data Source J40.63.w4
Ref Title Evaluating nutritional condition of grizzly bears via select blood parameters
Ref Author(s) Gau, R.J. & Case, R.
Animal Details Wild bears, captured by darting from a helicopter, using Tiletamine-Zolazepam. Data are from 47 captures of 23 bears.
Laboratory Techniques Blood was collected from the femoral artery or jugular vein into Vacutainer tubes. Serum was separated at the end of each day and stored at -20 C. Whole blood, collected in EDTA tubes, was refrigerated in the field and analysed within seven days of collection. Lipaemic or hemolysed samples were not included in the results. 
Comments --

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Reference 4.
Wildpro Data Source J200.34.w1
Ref Title Physiology of the European brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos)
Ref Author(s) Hissa, R.
Animal Details Twelve captive brown bears in Finland. Samples collected with bears immobilised using Medetomidine-Ketamine Anaesthesia in Bears.
Laboratory Techniques  
Comments *  The following were significantly (P < 0.05) different between summer and winter: creatinine (P < 0.01), phosphorus (P < 0.001) and total proteins (P < 0.05). Additionally there were differences in:
  • Adrenaline (ng/mL): summer 0.80 +/- 0.30; winter 0.04 +/- 0.02 (P < 0.001).
  • Noradrenaline (ng/mL): summer 0.9 +/- 0.32, winter 0.3 +/- 0.07 (P < 0.001).
  • Vitamin D3 (pg/mL): summer 40.0 +/- 3.89, winter 23.7 +/- 2.48 (P < 0.001).

Parathyroid hormone levels were found not to be significantly different between summer and winter values: 60.8 +/- 10.79 pg/mL in summer, 57.3 +/- 9.63 pg/mL in winter.

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Reference 5.
Wildpro Data Source J1.19.w14
Ref Title Use of dissociative anesthetics for the immobilization of captive bears: blood gas, hematology and biochemistry values
Ref Author(s) Bush, M., Custer, R.S. & Smith, E.E.
Animal Details Fourteen samples, from three male and four female brown bears at the National Zoo, Washington, D.C., USA.
Laboratory Techniques --
Comments --

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Reference 6.
Wildpro Data Source P5.30.w3
Ref Title Weitere Hamatologische und Biochemische Befunde von Gesunden und Kranken Ursiden (Thalarctos maritimus, Ursus arctos und Helarctos malayanus) [Additional heamatological and biochemical findings recorded from clinically intact and pathologically affected ursine animals (Thalarctos maritimus, Ursus arctos and Helarctos malayanus)]
Ref Author(s) Kuntze, A. & Hundsdorf, P.
Animal Details a) 3 - 14 adult bear samples per value.

b) 2 - 10 juvenile bear samples per value.
Laboratory Techniques --
Comments --

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Reference 7.
Wildpro Data Source P5.27.w1
Ref Title Hamatologische und Biochemische Parameter von Gesunden und Kranken Eisbaren (Thalarctos maritimus) und Baunbaren (Ursus arctos) [Haematological and biochemical parameters of clinically intact and pathologically affected polar bears (Thalarctos maritimus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos)]
Ref Author(s) Kuntze, A. & Hundsdorf, P.
Animal Details One to five samples per value.
Laboratory Techniques --
Comments --

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Reference 8.
Wildpro Data Source J30.50.w2
Ref Title Blood chemistry of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) from southwestern Yukon Territory, Canada
Ref Author(s) Halloran, D.W. & Pearson, A.M.
Animal Details a) Thirteen bears (seven males, six females) sampled 25th April to 22nd May (including seven bears just out of their dens).

b) Eight bears  (six males, two females) sampled 27th June to 28th August.

c) One bear (male) sampled 20th October.
Laboratory Techniques --
Comments
  • For bears sampled in spring, males had significantly (P < 0.025) higher uric acid levels than females. (J30.50.w2) 
  • There was a decrease in uric acid from spring to summer; in was considered that the higher level in spring might indicate a period of reduced renal function in bears recently waking from hibernation, and/or dietary factors, including continuing reliance on body fat reserves, and or be associated with physical exertion (being chased by helicopter). (J30.50.w2)
  • Significant seasonal differences were noted for calcium (higher in spring than in summer, possibly related to availability of calcium in the diet), glucose (higher in summer; various factors may affect this), creatinine (higher in spring, decreasing over time, and lower in summer, possible related to reduced renal function in bears recently emerged from hibernation), BUN (low early in spring, then increasing, also probably associated with gradual return to normal renal function following hibernation, with wide variations probably associated with diet), and potassium (increasing from spring to summer). (J30.50.w2)

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Reference 9.
Wildpro Data Source J40.49.w4
Ref Title Serum chemistry of central and northern Alaska grizzly bears
Ref Author(s) Brannon, R.D.
Animal Details Grizzly bears from the Alaska Range, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Ivishak River and Western Brooks Range, Alaska, USA. For each value, 78 to 155 samples were tested.
Laboratory Techniques --
Comments
  • Serum calcium was higher in male than female bears from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (8.7 versus 8.23 mg/dl, P < 0.005), and serum phosphorus was high in males than in females (4.7 mg/dl versus 4.3 mg/dl, P < 0.10). The differences were thought to be due to the higher demand on calcium and phosphorus in lactating females. Ionized calcium was lower in lactating females than in all other bears, including lower than in non-lactating females (P < 0.05). Males had higher total bilirubim and direct bilitrubin than females (P < 0.05). Males had a higher level of serum glucose than females (P < 0.01), possibly because males were more stressed than females at being captured. Males had higher serum albumin and albumin/globulin ratios (P <0.05 and p < 0.10) than females. Total and ionized calcium, and phosphorus concentrations, generally were correlated with age, all three decreasing with increasing age. For male bears from the Alaska range, total protein, albumin and globulin all were correlated with age and/or weight, possibly attributable, in the case of weight correlations, to nutritional status. (J40.49.w4)
  • Serum phosphorus levels were higher in initial than second samples, suggesting a rapid peak in response to the physical activity associated with being chased by helicopter, followed by return to baseline. First samples (collected as soon as possible after capture), compared with second samples (about an hour later) had higher SGPT (males and females, P <0.01), SGOT (Alaska range males, P < 0.01) and AP (all females), but lower LDH (all males, P<0.01). These changes were thought to be associated with a rapid enzyme response to exertion and excitement, with the LDH response being slower. Additionally, chlorine and CO2 levels were higher in second than first samples (P < 0.01), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine and uric acid were all higher in first than in second samples (P < 0.01). This may have been related to protein catabolism required due to the sustained exertion associated with chasing and capture, in spring when bears were in poor body condition. Cortisol levels (17.7 +/- 0.47 µg/dl) were probably elevated due to handling stress. (J40.49.w4)

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Other Major Databases with Reference Values
Some database systems generate normal values on an on-going basis, and some organisations publish information within animal management guidelines. As the normal values do vary as more information is added, the links to these databases are provided, rather than incorporating the actual data.

Some of these databases do charge for access, or may have restricted access and enquiries should be made directly to the database providers.

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