Reference intervals for bile acids and protein electrophoresis in plasma of captive panther Chameleons (Furcifer pardalis): a first approach

Bile acids are considered a sensitive indicator for liver function in mammals and birds, and protein electrophoresis is a routine test used in mammals to differentiate inflammatory responses. The objective of this study was to establish reference intervals for bile acids and protein electrophoresis in clinically healthy panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) under similar husbandry conditions. Blood samples from 84 captive panther chameleons were collected in January and August from the ventral coccygeal vein and processed for protein capillary zone electrophoresis and enzymatic–photometric measurements of bile acids. Reference intervals for bile acids were similar to other reptile species, but those for protein electrophoresis differed considerably, with a-globulins as the second most predominant fraction after albumin. Significant differences between males and females were found in a1- and c-globulin fractions. Three diseased panther chameleons that died within a few months after sampling had an albumin–globulin ratio below the reference interval