ACUTE-PHASE RESPONSE IN DAIRY-COWS WITH SURGICALLY-TREATED ABDOMINAL DISORDERS

Ninety-seven dairy cows suffering from traumatic reticuloperitonitis, abomasal displacement, and other gastrointestinal disorders or dystoci a were referred for abdominal surgery. Plasma protein concentrations, including plasma fibrinogen and haptoglobin, and conventional haematol ogical variables were determined both pre-and postoperatively. The exa mined variables were not of value in predicting the outcome of the abd ominal disorders in general, but fibrinogen concentrations may be help ful in postoperative monitoring of infectious complications, such as p eritonitis. Fifty-five per cent of the cows had increased haptoglobin concentrations preoperatively and abdominal surgery led to an addition al haptoglobin increase for a further 2-3 days. It is recommended that pre- and postoperative haptoglobin values should be compared when mon itoring infectious complications. Non-parametric receiver operating ch aracteristics (ROC) analysis suggested that plasma haptoglobin concent ration was the most accurate parameter for differentiating traumatic r eticuloperitonitis from other gastrointestinal disorders, but plasma f ibrinogen and globulin concentrations were also of value in this respe ct.