PREGNANCY TOXEMIA (KETOSIS) IN SHEEP AND THE ROLE OF INSULIN

214 ewes suffering from pregnancy toxaemia (ketosis) were examined. Cl inical signs during onset and course of disease and laboratory finding s were compared between animals that survived and those which died. In the latter the onset of ketosis was earlier in pregnancy (dap 143 +/- 7 vs, day 146 +/- 8) and duration of thr disease was shorter (10 +/- 13 vs. 14 +/- 9 days). The animals that died showed more severe clinic al signs and higher values of 3-hydroxy-butyrate (4.3 +/- 3.6 vs. 3.5 +/- 2.6 mmol/l) and cortisol (72 +/- 98 vs. 52 +/- 80 nmol/l) as well as lower values of insulin (37 +/- 12 vs. 66 +/- 42 pmol/l) and potass ium (4.1 +/- 1.0 vs. 4.4 +/- 1.0 mmol/l) at onset of the disease than those which survived (all of differences with P < 0.05). Glucose level s did not differ between groups. Treated animals with glucose plus fru ctose infusions (n = 56) or with oral application of glucose precursor s plus electrolytes (n = 126) had survival rates of 53.6% and 62.7%, r espectively. Oral treatment with glucose precursors plus electrolytes and an additional subcutaneous insulin treatment (n = 15) led to an en hanced survival rate of 86.7% (P < 0.05). Low insulin levels in ketoti c pregnant sheep and the therapeutic effect of insulin treatment suppo rt the hypothesis that insulin plays a causative role in the pathogene sis of ovine ketosis.