SERUM-PROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS IN HORSES WITH SEVERE LIVER-DISEASE - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

The present retrospective study was undertaken to determine the freque ncy of hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia in horses with natural occu rring severe liver disease, The study represents a review of case reco rds and laboratory data of 84 horses presented with acute or chronic l iver disease to the University of California Veterinary Medical Teachi ng Hospital between 1973 and 1991. Forty horses (48%) had serum protei n concentrations above the maximum reference value (7.7 g/dL). The inc rease in serum protein concentration was associated with hyperglobulin emia (P = .00005, R(2) = .80). Only 13% (11/84) of the horses had seru m albumin concentrations below the minimum refer ence range (2.5 g/dl) , and hypoproteinemia was found in only 1 of these horses, Of these. 1 8% (9/51) of the horses with chronic liver disease and 6% (2/33) of th e horses with acute liver disease had albumin concentrations below the minimum reference value, Globulin concentrations in 64% of the horses (54/84) were above the maximum reference value (4.0 g/dL). The presen t study indicates that hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia are not com mon features in horses with severe liver disease. Copyright (C) 1995 b y the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.