[Clinico-pathological changes after intravenous administration of endotoxin in the horse].

The results of a study conducted to determine the clinico-pathological changes in 4 experimentally-induced cases of endotoxaemia in the horse are reported on. Endotoxaemia was induced by injecting commercially available E. coli 055:B5 lipopolysaccharide intravenously at a dose of 1 microgram kg-1. The haematocrit, red cell count, total and differential white cell counts, thrombocyte count, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen level, level of fibrin degradation products, arterial acid-base status, serum lactate and blood glucose were determined repeatedly. Changes that occurred, include increases in the haematocrit and red cell count, a leucopaenia followed by a leucocytosis caused mainly by changes in the number of neutrophils, the development of disseminated intravascular coagulation, minor changes in the arterial acid base parameters, hyperglycaemia followed by hypoglycaemia and an increase in serum lactate.