ALTERAÇÕES HEMATOLÓGICAS DURANTE A IMUNIZAÇÃO E APÓS A SANGRIA E PLASMAFERESE EM EQUINOS DE PRODUÇÃO DE SORO HIPERIMUNE ANTICROTÁLICO

Twenty animals were used to assess the blood profile of horses during immunization for anticrotalic hyperimmune serum production and after the bleedings and the plasmapherese, according to the protocol schedule of Instituto Butantan in order to evaluate efficacy of plasmapheresis. The samples were obtained before the antigen inoculations (crotalic venon), before and after the bleedings, right after the plasmapherese and 15, 30 and 45 days after the last one, making a total of 340 collections in 17 moments. Samples were submitted to hemogram. Significant variations were observed on the blood profile of the horses throughout the immunization, showing normocytic, normochromic anemia, without significant alterations on leukogram. During the bleedings phases, evident variations were observed on the blood profile showing normocytic normochromic anemia after bleeding without changing the leukogram values. During rest periods, the efficacy of plasmapheresis was evident with a rapid, partial recovery of hemogram, making easier the fast return to hematologic normality, making them capable to a new hyperimmune serum production. KEY WORDS: Anticrotalic, equine, hematology, immunization, plasmapherese.