Some Laboratory Data on Hedgehogs, Hibernating and Non‐hibernating

Abstract

Summary. Comparative biochemical studies have been performed in hibernating hedgehogs in January and March and in non‐hibernating hedgehogs in June. Red blood corpuscles and hemoglobin level were lower in March in comparison to January and June when the difference was slight. Also the hematocrit values were lower in March compared with January, while the values in June lay between these. The leucocytes decreased during hibernation but the differential leucocyte count did not change markedly except for the eosinophils which decreased comparatively more than the other leucocytes. Also reticulocytes decreased but blood platelets increased. The blood sugar decreased as did the protein‐bound iodine. — No significant changes in serum potassium or sodium were found. At electrophoresis an increase of the albumin fraction was found, while β 1‐ ,β 2‐ and γ‐globulins decreased. From the tissue studies — made on hibernating hedgehogs in late February to early March and on non‐hibernating ones in September — it can be seen that the magnesium content of the heart was lower during winter; the cytochrome c content, however, did not change. Sugar, aceton or aceto‐acetic acid were not found in the urine. Urinary albumin, however, appeared in all the hibernating animals and in half of the non‐hibernating ones. Part of this study was supported by a grant from the Medical Research Fund of the Swedish Life Insurance Companies. Our thanks are due to the head and personal of the Central Chemical Laboratory of Allmänna Sjukhuset and to Drs. B engt S kanse and S. E. B jörkman for valuable help in this investigation.