A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THE HEMORHEOLOGY OF VARIOUS BREEDS OF DOG

Haemorheological parameters in nine breeds of dog were examined. Whole blood viscosity at both high and low shear rates differed significant ly between the breeds with a 50% difference between the highest and lo west viscosity at high shear rate and a 140% difference at low shear r ate. Athletic breeds (Greyhounds, Deerhounds) had the highest whole bl ood viscosities. Differences in viscosity correlated well with differe nces in haematocrit between breeds. When the blood samples were adjust ed to a standard haematocrit (45%), there were no significant differen ces in viscosity. This implied that other rheological factors such as cellular deformability and plasma viscosity did not vary significantly between breeds, and direct measurement showed this to be the case.