Hematologic and Biochemical Reference Intervals for Mountain Goats (Oreamnos americanus): Effects of Capture Conditions

We evaluated 90th percentile reference intervals for hematologic and biochemical analytes from 45 mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) and determined the effects on these levels from sex, age, capture method, capture intensity, capture month, and region of the Washington Cascade Range. Mountain goats captured by helicopter darting had a lower percent neutrophils and higher percent lymphocytes than did those captured by darting from the ground. Helicopter darted mountain goats had higher levels of sodium, anion gap, osmolality, and hemolytic index and lower carbon dioxide than ground darted mountain goats. Pursuit intensity (distance and elevation gained) positively affected percent lymphocytes, and anion gap and negatively affected mean cell hemoglobin, percent neutrophils, and carbon dioxide. Alkaline phosphatase decreased with age. Hematocrit, mean cell volume, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, percent basophils, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, total protein, globulin, albumin:globulin ratio, and magnesium exhibited temporal (month) or geographic (region) effects.