A survey on some physical, cellular and biochemical parameters values of pericardial fluid in River Buffalo of Khuzestan (Bubalus bubalis)

The evaluation of the cardiovascular system is one of the important steps in animals' examination and a way to determine the health of this system. In the meantime, examination of pericardial fluid can greatly help to assess heart health. In this study, sampling was done from 60 apparently healthy buffaloes slaughtered in Ahvaz abattoir. The pericardial fluid samples were examined for color, translucence, presence or absence of clots, as well as volume, specific gravity, cell count, and concentration of fibrinogen, protein, and glucose. In all cases, the pericardial fluid was straw- colored, crystal clear, and coagulated rapidly if collected in tubes without anticoagulant. Mean ± SE of volume, specific gravity and number of red and white blood cells of pericardium and also the concentration of fibrinogen, total protein and glucose were 37.4 ± 17.8 cc, 1021 ± 0.0004, 9000 ± 3000 cells/µL, 3300 ± 160 cells/µL, 146.9 ± 4.2 µg/dL, 2.05 ± 0.07 g/dL and 100.9 ± 3.5 µg/dL. Respectively. Also, the percentage of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils of pericardial fluid were 52.2 ± 1.6%, 46.1 ± 1.7%, 1.3 ± 0.2% and 0.8 ± 0.2%, respectively. Based on the results, it seems that the pericardial fluid of Khuzestan river buffalo has characteristics similar to the peritoneal fluid of cattle. Also the similarity of some of these characteristics to the modified transudate is significant which should be taken into consideration in pericardiocentesis fluid analysis of buffaloes suspected to cardiac illness, especially pericardial diseases.