Abstract

The authors show in the paper the haematological database collected in recent years of activity of Fondazione Cetacea as part of the national network of Centro Studi Cetacei on living stranded cetaceans along Italian coasts. The availability of this kind of data can be particularly important when the rescue team tries to help animals on the beach or in a hospital pool. The data presents the results on Tursiops truncatus, Grampus griseus, Stenella coeruleoalba, Delphinus delphis and Balaenoptera physalus. Observation on the increase of RBC, Hb and PCV in the stranded animal after the first hours appears to be related with stress and dehydration. The GOT-AST -GPT-ALT parameters at higher level can be predictive of diffuse bacterial diseases or stress shock.