Perfil hematológico de bovinos experimentalmente inoculados com veneno de Bothrops alternatus (Blood profile cattle experimentally inoculated with Bothrops alternatus venom)

Despite the high number of Bothrops envenomation in cattle, the hematological and biochemical changes are poorly known mainly in the first few weeks after the poisoning. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the bovine blood profile after B. alternatus envenomation. Five crossbred heifers were inoculated with B. alternatus venom (0.15mg/kg) diluted in saline solution, by intramuscular injection, in the mean height of the cranial side of right forelimb, between the joints umerradio-ulnar and carpus. The blood was collected before the beginning of the experiment (zero time) and at 3, 8, 24, 48, 72, 96, 168, 240, 405 e 576 hours after inoculation, in order to evaluate the hemogram, coagulogram, total protein, albumine, globulins, urea, creatinine, creatinine phosphokinase (CPT) and aspartate aminotransferase. The B. alternatus venon caused a serious envenomation in catlle and was lethal for two animals at 53 and 78 hours. The blood profile alteratons were normocitic and normocromic anaemia, leucocitosis with neutrophilia, linfocitosis, coagulation time increased, trombocytopenia and elevation in the urea, CPT and AST enzymes.