AUTHOR=Lehmann Verena , Altherr Barblin , Pantchev Nikola , Öfner Sabine , Zablotski Yury , Murphy Rachel , Coyne Michael , Kölle Petra 

TITLE=Symmetrical Dimethylarginine as a Diagnostic Parameter in Hermann's Tortoises (Testudo hermanni)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.824748

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2022.824748

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=Background: Despite improvements in habitational conditions, kidney disease is relatively common in tortoises.
Objectives: Purpose of this study was the establishment of Symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA) reference values for clinically healthy Hermann´s Tortoises. 
Animals: Clinically healthy Hermann´s Tortoises (n = 131) were included in the period from October 2017 to September 2019.
Methods: Creatinine and other biomarkers were tested at IDEXX Laboratories, Germany using residual blood samples from Hermann`s tortoises. SDMA was measured with the IDEXX test and verified byliquid chromatography-mass spectrometry at IDEXX Laboratories, USA.
Results: SDMA values ranged from 1 21 µg/dl (n = 131) for the IDEXX SDMA Test and SDMA values ranged from 1 17 µg/dl (n = 82) for LC-MS. For the comparison of the two measuring systems, the following results were obtained R2 = 0.75 (p < 0.001). 
Conclusion and Clinical Importance: SDMA can be measured in Hermann´s Tortoises and the reference values range in clinically healthy animals is comparable to that of dogs and cats.