Kneeland, M., Berman, E., Grade, T., Cooley, J., Vogel, H., Schoch, N., … & Pokras, M. (2020). PLASMA BIOCHEMISTRY AND PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS REFERENCE INTERVALS OF THE COMMON LOON (GAVIA IMMER). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 51(3), 561-570.

Study Highlights:

There are no published plasma biochemistry reference intervals for any species within the order Gaviiformes, which includes the common loon (Gavia immer).

This study determined reference intervals for plasma biochemical values in adult common loons, and reference intervals for protein electrophoresis values in both adult and juvenile common loons.

Healthy, wild adult (n = 148, age >3 yr) and juvenile (n = 31, age 4–12 wk) common loons were sampled on freshwater summer breeding territories at study sites across North America.

Adult females had significantly higher Glu, ALP, and BUN than adult males. Juvenile loons had higher β-globulins than adults, whereas adults had higher α1-globulins.

Establishment of complete reference intervals will improve clinical assessment of captive loons, and allow researchers to better understand the health of wild loons in response to the multiple environmental stressors faced by these species.