THE CLINICAL PATHOLOGY OF HEARTWATER .3. CHANGES IN BLOOD-CLOTTING, BLOOD CALCIUM, BLOOD PROTEIN, HEMATOCRIT AND WHITE-CELL COUNTS IN SHEEPWITH EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED HEARTWATER

Studies to evaluate changes in blood clotting, blood calcium and prote in, the haematocrit and white-cell counts were undertaken in seven she ep with experimentally induced heartwater. A marked decline in thrombo cyte count was recorded during the acute stage of the disease. This wa s associated with increases in both prothrombin time (PT) and activate d partial thromboplastin time (APTT); fibrinogen increased while there was no detectable increase in fibrinogen degradation products (FDP). At the same time total serum protein (TSP), albumin and globulin dropp ed very sharply; total calcium showed a progressive drop but ionized c alcium rose initially and was followed by a terminal decline. The tota l leucocyte count showed a terminal increase while the haematocrit dro pped progressively.