Spirometry as a diagnostic tool to assess respiratory health in beached bottlenose dolphins Tursiops spp.

Abstract

In this study, we used a dataset including 42 individual bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) to determine the reliability of lung function testing as a method for assessing respiratory health. Each dolphin was trained to beach voluntarily, allowing researchers to measure respiratory flow in a controlled, beached state. From the collected respiratory flow data, alongside timing parameters, we extracted 18 specific variables, supplemented by additional factors such as body mass, age, and sex. These variables were hypothesized to serve as potential variables for identifying respiratory compromise. A model was developed that reduced the number of predictive variables, showing that 4 specific variables were particularly effective, yielding an accuracy of 88.4% in determining whether a dolphin was free from respiratory disease. This high level of accuracy underscores the potential of lung function testing as a diagnostic tool in the context of stranded dolphins, where rapid, non-invasive methods are crucial for assessing health status. These results suggest that lung function testing provides a non-invasive and efficient method for evaluating respiratory health in stranded dolphins and supports the use of lung function assessments in wildlife management and conservation. By enabling early detection of respiratory issues, this approach can enhance the success of rehabilitation efforts, potentially improving the survival rates of dolphins that have stranded, which is often a critical concern in marine conservation initiatives.