Hematology and serum biochemistry of farmed bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus during the active and hibernating periods

The Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus is a species of economic important edible frog and often chosen as experimental animal model. Although, some studies in the literatures have reported the parameters of hematology and serum biochemistry in several Rana species, a comprehensive profile of hematology and biochemistry in farmed bullfrogs was very limited, especially during the hibernating period. 140 apparently healthy farmed bullfrogs (70 males and 70 females) were used during the active and hibernating periods to determine the hematology and serum biochemistry parameters including morphometry of erythrocytes, PCV, HGB, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RBC count, WBC count, differential leukocyte count, glucose (Glu), triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (Cho), blood urea nitrogen (Bun), uric acid (UA), creatine (Cre), total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), globulin (Glo), γ-glutam (GGT), total bilirubin (TB), alkaline phosphatase (Alp), a-amylase (Amy), CK, AST, ALT, LDH, K, Na, Cl and nCa (that is, the ionized calcium level when pH=7.4). Differences between sexes showed that male bullfrogs possessed a statistically higher LDH activity level, and statistically lower levels of Cre, Na and Ca concentrations. Additionally, it was noted that bullfrogs during the active period had significantly lower values for HGB, PCV, MCV, ALT, Glo, Bun, Na, Cl and surface areas and volumes of RBCs and their nuclei, and significantly higher values for WBCs counts and Cre than the hibernating ones. These baseline data could be used for health monitoring and disease diagnostics in bullfrogs artificial farming and serve as general reference values for future studies on the physiology of this species. Key words: Bullfrogs, hibernation, hematology, serum biochemistry.