Pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiographic and hematobiochemical profiles of clinically healthy racing dromedary camels.

Abstract

Background: Pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography (PWDE) is a practical, noninvasive imaging assessment method that has been used to reveal details about the characteristics, direction, timing, and velocity of blood flow of the heart under both healthy and diseased conditions.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate normal heart imaging and chamber measurements, hematobiochemical profile, and PWDE in racing camels.

Methods: To accomplish this, blood samples, PWDE, and echocardiograms were obtained from 20 healthy racing camels aged 14-20 years and weighing 500-650 kg.

Results: Red blood cell (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and white blood cell (WBCs) were recorded along with their mean values (11.4 (×106), 12.8 (gm/dl), 32.1%, 28.3 (fl), 14.1 (×103), respectively. The mean values of calcium (13 mg/dl), phosphorus (3.9 mg/dl), sodium (194.2 mmol/l), potassium (5.5 mmol/l), alanine transaminase (ALT) (26.6 U/l), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (95 U/l), and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) (0.3 ng/ml). The interventricular septum, atria, and ventricles were viewed in a caudal long-axis four-chamber view in the 4th or 5th intercostal space (ICS) on both sides. The right ventricle, left ventricle, and interventricular septum were evident in the short-axis image of the cardiac ventricles acquired in the fourth ICS. The M mode was used to obtain cardiac measurements from every camel. Using the PWD at the left parasternal longitudinal axis, the mitral valve (Mv), tricuspid valve (Tv), and maximum aortic valve velocity were determined in all camels. The right panel is the pulmonary valve.

Conclusion: Our findings showed that adult racing camels have normal heart dimensions and can acquire high-quality echocardiograms and PWDE. This study can serve as a reference for future research on racing camels with heart diseases.