Clinically healthy Hermann’s tortoises get new blood gas benchmarks: full analysis

Clinically healthy Hermann’s tortoises get new venous blood gas benchmarks

A newly published Frontiers in Veterinary Science paper gives reptile clinicians exploratory venous blood gas values for clinically healthy Hermann’s tortoises, a species for which diagnostic reference data are still relatively sparse. The study, published June 2, 2026, analyzed venous blood from 38 healthy Testudo hermanni and is positioned by the authors as a starting point for future diagnostic and clinical pathology work in this endangered, near-threatened species. (frontiersin.org)

That matters because blood gas analysis has become a more common tool in veterinary medicine, but its use in chelonians has been concentrated more heavily in marine species and critical care settings than in tortoise medicine. Prior Hermann’s tortoise research has helped fill adjacent gaps, including hematology and plasma biochemistry reference values, seasonal and sex-related chemistry variation, and a 2018 study evaluating point-of-care analyzers for blood gas and chemistry testing in the species. But true species-specific venous blood gas benchmarks have remained limited, leaving clinicians to rely on extrapolation from other chelonians or from analyzer-specific preliminary data. (frontiersin.org)

In the new study, investigators collected samples at the end of July and the end of September, then ran blood gas testing immediately after collection using a Radiometer ABL735GLAXP analyzer. The paper reports exploratory values for 17 analytes: pH, pCO₂, pO₂, ctHb, sO₂, hematocrit, potassium, sodium, ionized calcium, chloride, glucose, lactate, base excess, osmolality, bicarbonate, total CO₂, and anion gap. According to the abstract, results aligned with published literature for several analytes, including pH, potassium, sodium, chloride, and osmolality, while glucose differed from previous reports. For many of the remaining analytes, the authors note that no reference intervals had previously been established specifically for Testudo hermanni, so comparisons had to be made with other chelonian species. (frontiersin.org)

The broader literature helps explain why that distinction matters in practice. In the 2018 Journal of Small Animal Practice study, point-of-care analyzers showed variable agreement with reference laboratory analyzers in Hermann’s tortoises, with bias depending on the analyte. The authors concluded that some results were not interchangeable and that analyzer-specific reference intervals were needed. That’s an important caveat for clinics using portable platforms, especially if they’re tempted to apply the new Frontiers values directly across devices without internal validation. (cris.unibo.it)

Expert commentary in reptile medicine also reinforces the need for caution when interpreting blood gas data in ectotherms. dvm360 coverage on reptile anesthesia notes that arterial blood gas sampling is technically challenging in reptiles and that interpretation is complicated by analyzer calibration and reptile-specific physiology. More recent reptile medicine commentary has also emphasized how heavily diagnostics are shaped by temperature, respiratory physiology, and husbandry, all of which can influence how lab values should be read in context. Taken together, that suggests the new paper is most useful as a framework, not a final word. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, especially exotics and reptile practitioners, the study adds a practical piece to the still-fragmented diagnostic toolkit for Hermann’s tortoises. Venous blood gas data can support assessment of acid-base balance, electrolyte disturbances, hydration status, perfusion, and potentially anesthetic or critical care monitoring. In first-opinion practice, where access to advanced reptile diagnostics can be uneven, even exploratory values may improve confidence in interpreting abnormal findings, discussing uncertainty with pet parents, and deciding when serial monitoring or referral is warranted. At the same time, the study is a reminder that species, season, sampling conditions, and analyzer platform all shape what “normal” looks like in reptiles. (frontiersin.org)

What to watch: The next questions are whether these values hold up in larger populations, whether separate intervals are needed by sex or season, and how well they translate to the point-of-care analyzers many clinics actually use. If follow-on studies validate and expand these data, Hermann’s tortoise blood gas testing could move from exploratory research into more routine clinical decision support. (frontiersin.org)