Original Research

A preliminary study on normal electrocardiographic parameters of ostriches (Struthio camelus)

A. Rezakhani, H. Komali, M.R. Mokhber-Dezfoul, M. Zarifi, M. Ghabi, N. Alidadi, M.G. Nadalian
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association | Vol 78, No 1 | a286 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v78i1.286 | © 2007 A. Rezakhani, H. Komali, M.R. Mokhber-Dezfoul, M. Zarifi, M. Ghabi, N. Alidadi, M.G. Nadalian | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 31 May 2007 | Published: 31 May 2007

About the author(s)

A. Rezakhani,
H. Komali,
M.R. Mokhber-Dezfoul,
M. Zarifi,
M. Ghabi,
N. Alidadi,
M.G. Nadalian,

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Abstract

Electrocardiograms were taken from 100 normal healthy male and female ostriches which were 1 to 15 months old using a base apex lead. The heart rate of those less than 3 months old ranged from 107 to 250 beats per minute with a mean of 171.47+9.03 and that of ostriches of more than 3 months old ranged from 43 to 167 with a mean of 90.52+2.64 beats / minute. The P-waves were positive in all cases except in 1 ostrich which it was isoelectric. The ORS complexes were mainly negative and either monophasic (QS) or biphasic (rS or RS). The T-wave showed more variation than other waves. The durations of P, P-R, QRS, Q-T and T-waves of chicks and of those more than 3 months of age (4-15-month-old) were 0.04 + 0.00, 0.06+0.00; 0.14+0.04, 0.16+0.00; 0.04+0.00, 0.06+0.00; 0.18+0.00, 0.27+0.00 and 0.06+0.00, 0.09+0.01 s, respectively, and amplitudes of the main direction of P-, QRS and T- waves of 2 groups were 0.29 + 0.02, 0.26 + 0.01; 1.87 + 0.17, 2.21 + 0.08; and 0.34 + 0.06, 0.37 + 0.02 mV, respectively. Ten cases showed cardiac dysrhythmias of which 9 showed sinus arrhythmia and 1 showed premature atrial contractions (PAC). This study showed that the base apex lead can be a suitable monitoring lead for electrocardiographic examination of ostriches.

Keywords

Bird; Dysrhythmia; Electrocardiogram; Heart; Ostrich

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