Determinación de rangos hematológicos de gatos mestizos en altitud: caso parroquia el Batán Cuenca – Ecuador

Abstract

The expansion of the feline population in households has increased the demand for specialized care in the region. However, commonly used hematological reference ranges come from studies conducted with purebred cats living at sea level, limiting their applicability in high-altitude areas. This study focused on establishing hematological reference values for mixed-breed cats at altitudes above 2500 meters above sea level, specifically in the parish of El Batán (Cuenca). Blood tests, extracted from the jugular vein, were analyzed in 106 apparently healthy cats (53 females and 53 males), and processed using an automated system using Dymind DH36 vet analyzer. To establish statistically normal ranges, the Student’s t-test and Tukey’s test were used, using the Infostat program, and the confidence interval (95%CI) was calculated, comparing the results with values reported in the literature. Most parameters were found to be within standard ranges, although with lower variance than the values reported by Suiza vet, Merck Manual, or laboratories using automated equipment. However, it was determined that MID% (8.76–9.85) was above the upper reference limit (9%) in 48% of cases, and the MCHC (35.70–36.63 g/dL) exceeded the limit of 36 g/dL in 52% of cases, which could be attributed to preanalytical factors or physiological characteristics specific to these animals adapted to altitude. No statistically significant differences were found in terms of sex (p>0.05).

Keywords Dymind DH36 vet; Complete blood count; Sex; Felines