Protein electrophoresis as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in raptor medicine

Plasma proteins of 139 healthy adult birds of prey from 10 species were sep arated by electrophoresis to characterize and document normal reference ran ges and species-specific electrophoretic patterns and to evaluate the value of this technique for health screening, disease diagnosis, and prognostic indication. Species studied included bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), barn owl (Tyto alba), great homed owl (Bubo virginianus), turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), Harris' hawk (Parabut eo unicinctus), Stellar's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus), barred owl (Str ix varia), screech owl (Otus asio), and black vulture (Coragyps atratus). S everal clinical cases show the diagnostic/therapeutic value of protein elec trophoresis in raptors. This study establishes species-specific reference r anges for several birds of prey and discusses the benefit of electrophoresi s as a diagnostic technique in health screens, as a diagnostic aid in conju nction with other tests, and as a prognostic indicator in clinical evaluati on of raptors.