Evaluation of bone marrow in female fallow deer kept in captivity

Proper processes of hematopoiesis have a major impact on the results of blood morphological analyses in healthy animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone marrow smears of female fallow deer kept in captivity and comparing them to morphological analysis of peripheral blood. To achieve the aim of this study bone marrow was collected from 10 nonpregnant, 2-year-old female fallow deer. Smears stained by the May-Grunwald Giemsa method were analyzed. Bone marrow samples were collected using a biopsy needle from the 3rd-4th rib in the sternal region into test tubes without coagulant. Whole blood for hematological analysis was sampled from the external jugular vein into 2 ml test tubes containing K2EDTA. The results of the research indicate significant morphological differences of white blood cells line and red blood cells line of fallow deer in comparison to other ruminants. Proerythroblasts of fallow deer appear to have a higher number of nuclei that stain more clearly in the MGG method. In red the blood cells line a high percentage of polychromatic erythroblasts (17.2%) and basophilic erythroblasts (18.19%) was noted. In granulocyte line only 0.19% of myeloblasts was observed in bone marrow smears. The percentage of segmented and band granulocytes was determined at 6.86% and 2.27% consequently. In the lymphoblastic line of fallow deer a low percentage of plazmocytes was observed (1.16%). In the platelets line the percentage of megakaryoblasts (5.18%) was lower than megakaryocytes (7.9%). This report is the first study concerning hematopoiesis in female fallow deer.