Capture techniques that lessen handling stress may also lessen pathologic influences on physiologic measures, improving the validity of these measures for use in individual health assessment of freeranging wildlife. Since 1990, the International Crane Foundation (ICF) has successfully used chemical immobilization with alpha-chloralose (AC; C6H11Cl3O6), a chloral derivative of glucose, to facilitate captures of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) for ecological studies (Hayes et al. 2003). Although this chemical has been used orally for the immobilization of many species, the physiologic effects of AC are not well understood in cranes. The primary purpose of this study was to measure serum chemistry, venous blood gas, and physiological values in free-ranging sandhill cranes successfully immobilized using this technique

Hartup, Barry K.

Sim, Richard R.

English

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University of Nebraska - Lincoln
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Proceedings of the North American Crane
Workshop North American Crane Working Group
2016
SERUM CHEMISTRY, BLOOD GAS, AND
PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES OF
SANDHILL CRANES SEDATED WITH
ALPHA-CHLORALOSE
Richard R. Sim
Barry K. Hartup
Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nacwgproc
Part of the Behavior and Ethology Commons, Biodiversity Commons, Ornithology Commons,
Population Biology Commons, and the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the North American Crane Working Group at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska -
Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop by an authorized administrator of
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
Proc. North Am. Crane Workshop 13:2016  BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS 107
SERUM CHEMISTRY, BLOOD GAS, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES OF SANDHILL 
CRANES SEDATED WITH ALPHA-CHLORALOSE
RICHARD R. SIM, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA
BARRY K. HARTUP, International Crane Foundation, E-11376 Shady Lane Road, Baraboo, WI 53913, USA
Capture techniques that lessen handling stress 
may also lessen pathologic influences on physiologic 
measures, improving the validity of these measures 
for use in individual health assessment of free-
ranging wildlife. Since 1990, the International 
Crane Foundation (ICF) has successfully used 
chemical immobilization with alpha-chloralose 
(AC; C6H11Cl3O6), a chloral derivative of glucose, 
to facilitate captures of sandhill cranes (Grus 
canadensis tabida) for ecological studies (Hayes 
et al. 2003). Although this chemical has been used 
orally for the immobilization of many species, the 
physiologic effects of AC are not well understood 
in cranes. The primary purpose of this study was 
to measure serum chemistry, venous blood gas, and 
physiological values in free-ranging sandhill cranes 
successfully immobilized using this technique. 
Sandhill cranes were captured near Briggsville, 
Wisconsin (43°36ʹN, 89°36ʹW), between 1996 and 
1999 as previously described (Langenberg et al. 
1998, Hayes et al. 2003). Once at a nearby holding 
pen, each crane was banded, weighed, measured 
and blood samples were taken from the left or right 
medial metatarsal or right jugular veins. Starting in 
1997, the cloacal temperature and minute heart and 
respiratory rates of each crane were determined prior 
to blood collection. Sampling occurred approximately 
1 hour post-capture. Samples were analyzed for 
the concentrations of selected serum enzymes and 
electrolytes (glucose, aspartate aminotransferase 
[AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], alkaline 
phosphatase [AP], creatine kinase [CK], lactic 
dehydrogenase [LDH], cholesterol, total protein 
[TP], phosphorous [P], calcium [Ca], sodium [Na], 
potassium [K], chloride [Cl], bicarbonate [HCO3], 
uric acid, and anion gap) by Marshfield Laboratories 
(Marshfield, WI). Blood samples were also analyzed 
for venous blood gas levels by using an i-STAT 
Portable Clinical Analyzer (i-STAT PCA; Sensor 
Devices Incorporated, Waukesha, WI). The EG7+ 
cartridges used with the i-STAT PCA provided tests 
for hydrogen ion concentration (pH), carbon dioxide 
tension (pCO2), oxygen tension (pO2), Na, K, ionized 
calcium (iCa), and hematocrit (PCV) measurement; 
in addition, the i-STAT provided HCO3, total carbon 
dioxide (tCO2), base excess (BE), oxygen saturation 
(sO2), and hemoglobin (Hb) as calculated values based 
on the measurements. The i-STAT PCA has been 
validated for use in chickens for all analytes except K 
and BE (Steinmetz et al. 2007). 
The mean and standard deviation (SD) for each 
serum chemistry, blood gas, and physiologic value were 
calculated for hatch-year juvenile and adult sandhill 
cranes. Age was determined through field markings 
(Lewis 1979). Sex of each bird was determined through 
relative size (Nesbitt et al. 1992), behavior (Archibald 
1976), or through genetic analysis of blood samples 
(Griffiths et al. 1998). Individual cranes that were 
clinically abnormal at the time of sampling or had 
values that differed from the mean by more than 3 SD 
were omitted from the analyses. Reference ranges for 
all parameters represent the mean ± 2 SD. Results have 
been pooled by sex due to sampling of 8 unknown sex 
juveniles and a preliminary analysis that showed no sex 
differences among adults.
Samples were obtained from 23 juveniles (6 
males, 9 females, 8 unknown; mean age = 135 days, 
range 118-175 days; estimated hatch date of May 1), 
and 47 adults (21 males, 26 females). Serum chemistry 
findings are based on data from 19 juveniles and 37 
adults (Table 1). Venous blood gas analysis using 
the i-STAT PCA, as well as summary physiological 
measures, reflect data from 14 juveniles and 35 adults 
(Table 2).
Our results for electrolytes, cholesterol, TP, P, 
and Ca are similar to those of Ellis et al. (1996), and 
reference ranges for these values and glucose and uric 
acid are similar to those found by Olsen et al. (2001). 
Alkaline phosphatase levels were increased in juveniles 
compared to adults, and likely due to ongoing skeletal 
development described similarly by Olsen et al. (2001). 
Reference ranges for AST were similar in both age 
groups of this study, but higher than those reported by 
Olsen et al. (2001). Abnormal AST activities have been 
linked to vitamin E, selenium or methionine deficiencies, 
liver damage, pesticide and carbon tetrachloride 
intoxication and muscle damage (Ritchie et al. 1994). 
CK results produced very wide reference ranges for 
108 BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS Proc. North Am. Crane Workshop 13:2016
both age groups and were much higher than results 
reported from captive populations. In healthy turkeys, 
CK has been reported to be very sensitive to stress and 
exercise (Lumeij 1987). Muscle damage, neuropathies, 
vitamin E or selenium deficiencies, and lead toxicity 
can be possible causes of CK increases. LDH is another 
enzyme that can be elevated with hemolysis, hepatic 
necrosis, and muscle damage, but its non-specificity 
limits its diagnostic value in birds. The hatch-year 
cranes’ LDH values in this study were greater than adult 
birds and greater than all age groups reported by Olsen 
et al. (2001). We believe the variously elevated values 
of AST, CK, and LDH were attributable to muscular 
exertion experienced during the induction phase or 
Table 1. Laboratory serum chemistry results from adult and hatch-year greater sandhill cranes sedated with alpha-chloralose, 
near Briggsville, Wisconsin, 1996-1999.
Adults Hatch-year
Mean (n = 37) SE Min. Max. Reference range Mean (n = 19) SE Min. Max. Reference range
Glucose (mg/dL) 237 5 172 312 174.6-299.5 257 6 210 308 206.5-307.8
AST (U/L) 269 11 158 466 139.7-398.1 294 15 182 423 160.2-426.8
ALT (U/L) 35 2.2 11 60   7.9-61.1 33 4.1 5 65      0-68.3
AP (U/L) 147 18 13 605        0-371.4 383 49 190 963     0-813
CK (U/L) 1440 203 84 5425          0-3914.7 1611 297 162 4689          0-4203.8
LDH (U/L) 370 26 202 853   55.1-684.6 456 44 171 931 76.43-835.6
Cholesterol (mg/dL) 142 4 93 195   93.0-190.9 142 7 65 199   79.4-205.2
TP (g/dL) 3.3 0.1 2.5 4.4 2.5-4.1 3.2 0.1 2.7 3.8 2.6-3.8
P (mg/dL) 1.9 0.1 1.0 4.7 0.3-3.6 4.9 0.3 3.3 7.1 2.6-7.3
Ca (mg/dL) 9.3 0.1 8.7 10         8.4-10 9.3 0.2 7.2 11         7.5-11
Na (mmol/L) 142 1 136 151 136-147 141 1 138 151 135.2-147.3
K (mmol/L) 3.9 0.1 2.1 6.8 2.2-5.6 4.3 0.2 2.4 7.1 2.4-6.3
Cl (mmol/L) 104 0.4 100 111       98.7-109 103 0.5 97 107       98.7-108
HCO3 (mmol/L) 29 0.5 24 35    23-35.4 27 0.7 23 32    21-33.8
Uric Acid (mg/dL) 4.4 0.2 2.4 7.4 1.7-7.2 4.7 0.3 2.7 6.5 2.2-7.1
Anion Gap (mmol/L) 12 0.5 6 18   5.6-18.8 15 0.6 11 19   9.2-20.3
Table 2. Physiological and i-STAT PCA venous blood gas results from adult and hatch-year greater sandhill cranes sedated with 
alpha-chloralose, near Briggsville, Wisconsin, 1997-1999.
Adults Hatch-year
Mean (n = 35) SE Min. Max. Reference range Mean (n = 14) SE Min. Max. Reference range
Cloacal temp (°C) 40.1 0.1 38.7 41.8 38.7-41.6 39.7a 0.2 38.7 41.3 38.2-41.3
Heart rate 142b 6 84 200   76-208 164a 18 80 280   34-294
Respiration rate 30 2 12 70   3-58 29a 2.6 18 52         9.6-48
pH 7.43c 0.02 7.23 7.52 7.29-7.56 7.40 0.03 7.24 7.48 7.26-7.54
pCO2 mmHg) 39.6c 1.5 30.6 66.0 22.7-56.4 45.5 3.2 31.6 69.3 21.9-69.1
pO2 (mmHg) 61 1.7 38 78 41-81 58.6 2.2 42 71 41.7-75.4
Na (mmol/L) 140 0.3 135 146 136-144 140 0.6 136 143 136-144
K (mmol/L) 4.2 0.1 3.4 5.1 3.3-5.1 4.3 0.1 3.8 4.8 3.6-4.9
iCa (mmol/L) 1.15 0.02 0.98 1.28 1.00-1.30 1.24 0.03 1.13 1.34 1.11-1.38
PCV (%) 38 0.6 32 48 31-46 34.8 1.0 29 42 27.4-42.2
Hb (g/dL) 13 0.2 11 16 11-16 12 0.3 10 14         9.5-14
BE (mmol/L) 1c 0.4 −2 6         −3-5 2.6 0.8 −1 11      −6.7-8.9
HCO3 (mmol/L) 26c 0.4 21 30 21-30 27.3 0.9 23 36 20.4-34.2
tCO2 (mmol/L) 27c 0.4 22 31 22-31 28.8 1.0 24 38 21.5-36.1
sO2 (%) 90c 1.3 66 96   75-100 88.1 2.1 67 95       72.6-100
a n = 13; physiological measures not recorded for 1 hatch-year crane.
b n = 34; heart rate was not recorded for 1 adult crane.
c n = 32; smaller n for these parameters was due to i-STAT PCA system failures of single or multiple values for some samples. 
Proc. North Am. Crane Workshop 13:2016  BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS 109
initial sedative effects and 1-hour lag in blood sampling 
from alpha-chloralose capture. The mild elevations 
that we observed were subclinical and a byproduct of 
the capture technique. These changes are distinct from 
values determined using captive cranes that experience 
minimal exertion prior to blood sampling following 
physical capture and restraint. As shown elsewhere, 
exertional myopathy is a significant risk factor with 
the use of AC, yet morbidity and mortality rates with 
this method are comparable to or less than most other 
contemporary alternative capture techniques (Hartup et 
al. 2014).
Heart and respiration rates for sedated greater 
sandhill cranes are previously unpublished. The heart 
rate reference range for hatch-year birds has a higher 
upper limit than for adults. The reference range 
established in this study for cloacal temperature is 
broader than that reported by Ellis et al. (1996), but this 
would be expected given possible exertion and stress 
experienced by free-ranging birds with varied levels of 
sedation (Hayes et al. 2003).
With the exception of Na, K, PCV, and Hb, the 
venous blood gas parameters measured using the 
i-STAT PCA are previously unpublished for this 
species. Langenberg et al. (1998) reported preliminary 
results from a small number of cranes, but provided 
additional information on these parameters up to 8 
hours following immobilization. Olsen’s (2001) reports 
for PCV and Hb in captive greater sandhill cranes 
are consistent with those of this study, but Ellis et al. 
(1996) reported higher means for Na. Potassium and 
BE were found to be unreliably measured by the i-STAT 
PCA when compared to laboratory assays (Steinmetz 
et al. 2007). All the venous blood gas parameters are 
comparable between adult and hatch-year cranes with a 
high degree of overlap, except for iCa that was higher 
in the younger birds. Bone remodeling associated with 
normal juvenile growth may have been responsible for 
this difference.
Cranes in this study were clinically asymptomatic 
and the omission of individuals with any outlier values 
presumably selected for a healthy reference pool, but 
underlying disease states, like parasitic infection, were 
still probable. Other effects from age, sex, reproductive 
status, nutrition, disease, and environment can affect 
each bird’s health status as reflected through its serum 
chemistry and physiology. Our findings extend the 
normative physiological reference data available for 
free-ranging sandhill cranes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank N. Businga and J. Langenberg for 
collection of serum samples and ICF Department of 
Field Ecology staff for safe capture of cranes. This study 
was supported by a grant from the Companion Animal 
Fund, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of 
Wisconsin-Madison.
LITERATURE CITED
Archibald, G. W. 1976. The unison call of cranes as a useful 
taxonomic tool. Ph.D. Dissertation, Cornell University, 
Ithaca, New York, USA.
Ellis. D. H., G. F. Gee, and C.M. Mirande. 1996. Cranes: 
Their biology, husbandry, and conservation. U.S. 
Department of Interior, National Biological Service, 
Washington, D.C., and International Crane Foundation, 
Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA.
Griffiths, R., M. C. Double, K. Orr, and R. J. G. Dawson. 
1998. A DNA test to sex most birds. Molecular Ecology 
7:1071-1075.
Hartup, B. K., L. Schneider, J. M. Engels, M. A. Hayes, and 
J. A. Barzen. 2014. Capture of sandhill cranes (Grus 
canadensis tabida) using alpha-chloralose: a 10-year 
follow-up. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 50:143-145.
Hayes, M. A., B. K. Hartup, J. M. Pittman, J. A. Barzen. 
2003. Capture of sandhill cranes using alpha-chloralose. 
Journal of Wildlife Diseases 39:859–868.
Langenberg J. A., N. K. Businga, H. E. Nevill. 1998. Capture 
of wild sandhill cranes with alpha-chloralose: techniques 
and physiologic effects. Pages 50-53 in Proceedings of 
the AAZV and AAWV Joint Conference, American 
Association of Zoo Veterinarians, 17–22 October, 
Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Lewis, J. C. 1979. Field identification of juvenile sandhill 
cranes. Journal of Wildlife Management 43:211-214.
Lumeij T. J. 1987. A contribution to clinical investigative 
methods for birds, with special reference to the racing 
pigeon (Columba livia domestica). Thesis, Utrecht 
University, Netherlands.
Nesbitt, S. A., C. T. Moore, and K. S. Williams. 1992. Gender 
prediction from body measurements of two subspecies 
of sandhill cranes. Proceedings of the North American 
Crane Workshop 6:38-42.
Olsen, G. H., M. M. Hendricks, and L. E. Dressler. 2001. 
Hematological and serum chemistry norms for sandhill 
and whooping cranes. Proceedings of the North American 
110 BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS Proc. North Am. Crane Workshop 13:2016
Crane Workshop 8:178-184.
Ritchie, B. W., G. J. Harrison, and L. R. Harrison. 1994. 
Avian medicine: principles and application. Wingers 
Publishing, Lake Worth, Florida, USA.
Steinmetz, H. W., R. Vogt, S. Kastner, B. Riond, and J. M. 
Hatt. 2007. Evaluation of the i-STAT portable clinical 
analyzer in chickens (Gallus gallus). Journal of 
Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 19:382-388.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN CRANE WORKSHOP 13:107-110
Key words: alpha-chloralose, blood gas, capture, clinical pathology, cranes, Grus canadensis tabida, physiology, 
serum chemistry. 


SERUM CHEMISTRY, BLOOD GAS, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES OF SANDHILL
CRANES SEDATED WITH ALPHA-CHLORALOSE

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - LincolnDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - LincolnProceedings of the North American CraneWorkshop North American Crane Working Group2016SERUM CHEMISTRY, BLOOD GAS, ANDPHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES OFSANDHILL CRANES SEDATED WITHALPHA-CHLORALOSERichard R. SimBarry K. HartupFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/nacwgprocPart of the Behavior and Ethology Commons, Biodiversity Commons, Ornithology Commons,Population Biology Commons, and the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the North American Crane Working Group at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska -Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop by an authorized administrator ofDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln.Proc. North Am. Crane Workshop 13:2016  BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS 107SERUM CHEMISTRY, BLOOD GAS, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES OF SANDHILL CRANES SEDATED WITH ALPHA-CHLORALOSERICHARD R. SIM, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USABARRY K. HARTUP, International Crane Foundation, E-11376 Shady Lane Road, Baraboo, WI 53913, USACapture techniques that lessen handling stress may also lessen pathologic influences on physiologic measures, improving the validity of these measures for use in individual health assessment of free-ranging wildlife. Since 1990, the International Crane Foundation (ICF) has successfully used chemical immobilization with alpha-chloralose (AC; C6H11Cl3O6), a chloral derivative of glucose, to facilitate captures of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) for ecological studies (Hayes et al. 2003). Although this chemical has been used orally for the immobilization of many species, the physiologic effects of AC are not well understood in cranes. The primary purpose of this study was to measure serum chemistry, venous blood gas, and physiological values in free-ranging sandhill cranes successfully immobilized using this technique. Sandhill cranes were captured near Briggsville, Wisconsin (43°36ʹN, 89°36ʹW), between 1996 and 1999 as previously described (Langenberg et al. 1998, Hayes et al. 2003). Once at a nearby holding pen, each crane was banded, weighed, measured and blood samples were taken from the left or right medial metatarsal or right jugular veins. Starting in 1997, the cloacal temperature and minute heart and respiratory rates of each crane were determined prior to blood collection. Sampling occurred approximately 1 hour post-capture. Samples were analyzed for the concentrations of selected serum enzymes and electrolytes (glucose, aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], alkaline phosphatase [AP], creatine kinase [CK], lactic dehydrogenase [LDH], cholesterol, total protein [TP], phosphorous [P], calcium [Ca], sodium [Na], potassium [K], chloride [Cl], bicarbonate [HCO3], uric acid, and anion gap) by Marshfield Laboratories (Marshfield, WI). Blood samples were also analyzed for venous blood gas levels by using an i-STAT Portable Clinical Analyzer (i-STAT PCA; Sensor Devices Incorporated, Waukesha, WI). The EG7+ cartridges used with the i-STAT PCA provided tests for hydrogen ion concentration (pH), carbon dioxide tension (pCO2), oxygen tension (pO2), Na, K, ionized calcium (iCa), and hematocrit (PCV) measurement; in addition, the i-STAT provided HCO3, total carbon dioxide (tCO2), base excess (BE), oxygen saturation (sO2), and hemoglobin (Hb) as calculated values based on the measurements. The i-STAT PCA has been validated for use in chickens for all analytes except K and BE (Steinmetz et al. 2007). The mean and standard deviation (SD) for each serum chemistry, blood gas, and physiologic value were calculated for hatch-year juvenile and adult sandhill cranes. Age was determined through field markings (Lewis 1979). Sex of each bird was determined through relative size (Nesbitt et al. 1992), behavior (Archibald 1976), or through genetic analysis of blood samples (Griffiths et al. 1998). Individual cranes that were clinically abnormal at the time of sampling or had values that differed from the mean by more than 3 SD were omitted from the analyses. Reference ranges for all parameters represent the mean ± 2 SD. Results have been pooled by sex due to sampling of 8 unknown sex juveniles and a preliminary analysis that showed no sex differences among adults.Samples were obtained from 23 juveniles (6 males, 9 females, 8 unknown; mean age = 135 days, range 118-175 days; estimated hatch date of May 1), and 47 adults (21 males, 26 females). Serum chemistry findings are based on data from 19 juveniles and 37 adults (Table 1). Venous blood gas analysis using the i-STAT PCA, as well as summary physiological measures, reflect data from 14 juveniles and 35 adults (Table 2).Our results for electrolytes, cholesterol, TP, P, and Ca are similar to those of Ellis et al. (1996), and reference ranges for these values and glucose and uric acid are similar to those found by Olsen et al. (2001). Alkaline phosphatase levels were increased in juveniles compared to adults, and likely due to ongoing skeletal development described similarly by Olsen et al. (2001). Reference ranges for AST were similar in both age groups of this study, but higher than those reported by Olsen et al. (2001). Abnormal AST activities have been linked to vitamin E, selenium or methionine deficiencies, liver damage, pesticide and carbon tetrachloride intoxication and muscle damage (Ritchie et al. 1994). CK results produced very wide reference ranges for 108 BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS Proc. North Am. Crane Workshop 13:2016both age groups and were much higher than results reported from captive populations. In healthy turkeys, CK has been reported to be very sensitive to stress and exercise (Lumeij 1987). Muscle damage, neuropathies, vitamin E or selenium deficiencies, and lead toxicity can be possible causes of CK increases. LDH is another enzyme that can be elevated with hemolysis, hepatic necrosis, and muscle damage, but its non-specificity limits its diagnostic value in birds. The hatch-year cranes’ LDH values in this study were greater than adult birds and greater than all age groups reported by Olsen et al. (2001). We believe the variously elevated values of AST, CK, and LDH were attributable to muscular exertion experienced during the induction phase or Table 1. Laboratory serum chemistry results from adult and hatch-year greater sandhill cranes sedated with alpha-chloralose, near Briggsville, Wisconsin, 1996-1999.Adults Hatch-yearMean (n = 37) SE Min. Max. Reference range Mean (n = 19) SE Min. Max. Reference rangeGlucose (mg/dL) 237 5 172 312 174.6-299.5 257 6 210 308 206.5-307.8AST (U/L) 269 11 158 466 139.7-398.1 294 15 182 423 160.2-426.8ALT (U/L) 35 2.2 11 60   7.9-61.1 33 4.1 5 65      0-68.3AP (U/L) 147 18 13 605        0-371.4 383 49 190 963     0-813CK (U/L) 1440 203 84 5425          0-3914.7 1611 297 162 4689          0-4203.8LDH (U/L) 370 26 202 853   55.1-684.6 456 44 171 931 76.43-835.6Cholesterol (mg/dL) 142 4 93 195   93.0-190.9 142 7 65 199   79.4-205.2TP (g/dL) 3.3 0.1 2.5 4.4 2.5-4.1 3.2 0.1 2.7 3.8 2.6-3.8P (mg/dL) 1.9 0.1 1.0 4.7 0.3-3.6 4.9 0.3 3.3 7.1 2.6-7.3Ca (mg/dL) 9.3 0.1 8.7 10         8.4-10 9.3 0.2 7.2 11         7.5-11Na (mmol/L) 142 1 136 151 136-147 141 1 138 151 135.2-147.3K (mmol/L) 3.9 0.1 2.1 6.8 2.2-5.6 4.3 0.2 2.4 7.1 2.4-6.3Cl (mmol/L) 104 0.4 100 111       98.7-109 103 0.5 97 107       98.7-108HCO3 (mmol/L) 29 0.5 24 35    23-35.4 27 0.7 23 32    21-33.8Uric Acid (mg/dL) 4.4 0.2 2.4 7.4 1.7-7.2 4.7 0.3 2.7 6.5 2.2-7.1Anion Gap (mmol/L) 12 0.5 6 18   5.6-18.8 15 0.6 11 19   9.2-20.3Table 2. Physiological and i-STAT PCA venous blood gas results from adult and hatch-year greater sandhill cranes sedated with alpha-chloralose, near Briggsville, Wisconsin, 1997-1999.Adults Hatch-yearMean (n = 35) SE Min. Max. Reference range Mean (n = 14) SE Min. Max. Reference rangeCloacal temp (°C) 40.1 0.1 38.7 41.8 38.7-41.6 39.7a 0.2 38.7 41.3 38.2-41.3Heart rate 142b 6 84 200   76-208 164a 18 80 280   34-294Respiration rate 30 2 12 70   3-58 29a 2.6 18 52         9.6-48pH 7.43c 0.02 7.23 7.52 7.29-7.56 7.40 0.03 7.24 7.48 7.26-7.54pCO2 mmHg) 39.6c 1.5 30.6 66.0 22.7-56.4 45.5 3.2 31.6 69.3 21.9-69.1pO2 (mmHg) 61 1.7 38 78 41-81 58.6 2.2 42 71 41.7-75.4Na (mmol/L) 140 0.3 135 146 136-144 140 0.6 136 143 136-144K (mmol/L) 4.2 0.1 3.4 5.1 3.3-5.1 4.3 0.1 3.8 4.8 3.6-4.9iCa (mmol/L) 1.15 0.02 0.98 1.28 1.00-1.30 1.24 0.03 1.13 1.34 1.11-1.38PCV (%) 38 0.6 32 48 31-46 34.8 1.0 29 42 27.4-42.2Hb (g/dL) 13 0.2 11 16 11-16 12 0.3 10 14         9.5-14BE (mmol/L) 1c 0.4 −2 6         −3-5 2.6 0.8 −1 11      −6.7-8.9HCO3 (mmol/L) 26c 0.4 21 30 21-30 27.3 0.9 23 36 20.4-34.2tCO2 (mmol/L) 27c 0.4 22 31 22-31 28.8 1.0 24 38 21.5-36.1sO2 (%) 90c 1.3 66 96   75-100 88.1 2.1 67 95       72.6-100a n = 13; physiological measures not recorded for 1 hatch-year crane.b n = 34; heart rate was not recorded for 1 adult crane.c n = 32; smaller n for these parameters was due to i-STAT PCA system failures of single or multiple values for some samples. Proc. North Am. Crane Workshop 13:2016  BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS 109initial sedative effects and 1-hour lag in blood sampling from alpha-chloralose capture. The mild elevations that we observed were subclinical and a byproduct of the capture technique. These changes are distinct from values determined using captive cranes that experience minimal exertion prior to blood sampling following physical capture and restraint. As shown elsewhere, exertional myopathy is a significant risk factor with the use of AC, yet morbidity and mortality rates with this method are comparable to or less than most other contemporary alternative capture techniques (Hartup et al. 2014).Heart and respiration rates for sedated greater sandhill cranes are previously unpublished. The heart rate reference range for hatch-year birds has a higher upper limit than for adults. The reference range established in this study for cloacal temperature is broader than that reported by Ellis et al. (1996), but this would be expected given possible exertion and stress experienced by free-ranging birds with varied levels of sedation (Hayes et al. 2003).With the exception of Na, K, PCV, and Hb, the venous blood gas parameters measured using the i-STAT PCA are previously unpublished for this species. Langenberg et al. (1998) reported preliminary results from a small number of cranes, but provided additional information on these parameters up to 8 hours following immobilization. Olsen’s (2001) reports for PCV and Hb in captive greater sandhill cranes are consistent with those of this study, but Ellis et al. (1996) reported higher means for Na. Potassium and BE were found to be unreliably measured by the i-STAT PCA when compared to laboratory assays (Steinmetz et al. 2007). All the venous blood gas parameters are comparable between adult and hatch-year cranes with a high degree of overlap, except for iCa that was higher in the younger birds. Bone remodeling associated with normal juvenile growth may have been responsible for this difference.Cranes in this study were clinically asymptomatic and the omission of individuals with any outlier values presumably selected for a healthy reference pool, but underlying disease states, like parasitic infection, were still probable. Other effects from age, sex, reproductive status, nutrition, disease, and environment can affect each bird’s health status as reflected through its serum chemistry and physiology. Our findings extend the normative physiological reference data available for free-ranging sandhill cranes.ACKNOWLEDGMENTSWe thank N. Businga and J. Langenberg for collection of serum samples and ICF Department of Field Ecology staff for safe capture of cranes. This study was supported by a grant from the Companion Animal Fund, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison.LITERATURE CITEDArchibald, G. W. 1976. The unison call of cranes as a useful taxonomic tool. Ph.D. Dissertation, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.Ellis. D. H., G. F. Gee, and C.M. Mirande. 1996. Cranes: Their biology, husbandry, and conservation. U.S. Department of Interior, National Biological Service, Washington, D.C., and International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA.Griffiths, R., M. C. Double, K. Orr, and R. J. G. Dawson. 1998. A DNA test to sex most birds. Molecular Ecology 7:1071-1075.Hartup, B. K., L. Schneider, J. M. Engels, M. A. Hayes, and J. A. Barzen. 2014. Capture of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) using alpha-chloralose: a 10-year follow-up. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 50:143-145.Hayes, M. A., B. K. Hartup, J. M. Pittman, J. A. Barzen. 2003. Capture of sandhill cranes using alpha-chloralose. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 39:859–868.Langenberg J. A., N. K. Businga, H. E. Nevill. 1998. Capture of wild sandhill cranes with alpha-chloralose: techniques and physiologic effects. Pages 50-53 in Proceedings of the AAZV and AAWV Joint Conference, American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, 17–22 October, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.Lewis, J. C. 1979. Field identification of juvenile sandhill cranes. Journal of Wildlife Management 43:211-214.Lumeij T. J. 1987. A contribution to clinical investigative methods for birds, with special reference to the racing pigeon (Columba livia domestica). Thesis, Utrecht University, Netherlands.Nesbitt, S. A., C. T. Moore, and K. S. Williams. 1992. Gender prediction from body measurements of two subspecies of sandhill cranes. Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop 6:38-42.Olsen, G. H., M. M. Hendricks, and L. E. Dressler. 2001. Hematological and serum chemistry norms for sandhill and whooping cranes. Proceedings of the North American 110 BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS Proc. North Am. Crane Workshop 13:2016Crane Workshop 8:178-184.Ritchie, B. W., G. J. Harrison, and L. R. Harrison. 1994. Avian medicine: principles and application. Wingers Publishing, Lake Worth, Florida, USA.Steinmetz, H. W., R. Vogt, S. Kastner, B. Riond, and J. M. Hatt. 2007. Evaluation of the i-STAT portable clinical analyzer in chickens (Gallus gallus). Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 19:382-388.PROCEEDINGS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN CRANE WORKSHOP 13:107-110Key words: alpha-chloralose, blood gas, capture, clinical pathology, cranes, Grus canadensis tabida, physiology, serum chemistry. 

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SERUM CHEMISTRY, BLOOD GAS, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES OF SANDHILL CRANES SEDATED WITH ALPHA-CHLORALOSE

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