Analysis of the value of measurement of the activity of caeruloplasmin as an alternative to measurement of the concentration of elemental copper in plasma and serum of farmed red deer

Interpretation of Serum Analytes for Nutritional Evaluation

Serum micronutrient analysis can provide insight into diet and clinical assessment, despite the complicated interplay between micronutrients and species idiosyncrasies. Approach serum nutrient analytes with skepticism, before jumping to alter diets or offering supplementation. Utilize across species but know that some exotics have exceptions to typical ranges, such as calcium in rabbits or iron in reptiles. Make sure you trust that referenced ranges reflect normal and healthy for that species. Micronutrients are integral to every bodily process, so measurement of serum analytes can tell a story that aids in the clinical picture, when one can recognize what stands out.

Selenium, copper and iron in veterinary medicine-From clinical implications to scientific models

Diseases related to copper, selenium or iron overload or deficiency are common and well-described in large animal veterinary medicine. Some of them certainly have the potential to serve as useful animal models for ongoing research in the field of trace elements. Obvious advantages of large animal models compared to laboratory animal models like rats and mice are the option of long-term, consecutive examinations of progressive deficient or toxic stages and the opportunity to collect various, high volume samples for repeated measurements. Nevertheless, close cooperation between scientific disciplines is necessary as scientists using high sophisticated analytical methods and equipment are not regularly in touch with scientists working with large animal diseases. This review will give an introduction into some typical animal diseases related to trace elements and will present approaches where the animal diseases were used already as a model for interdisciplinary research.