The clinical pathology of heartwater (3): changes in blood-clotting, blood calcium, blood protein, hematocrit and white-cell counts in sheep with experimentally-induced heartwater

Studies to evaluate changes in blood clotting, blood calcium and protein, the haematocrit and white-cell counts were undertaken in seven sheep with experimentally induced heartwater. A marked decline in thrombocyte count was recorded during the acute stage of the disease. This was associated with increases in both prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT); fibrinogen increased while there was no detectable increase in fibrinogen degradation products (FDP). At the same time total serum protein (TSP), albumin and globulin dropped very sharply; total calcium showed a progressive drop but ionized calcium rose initially and was followed by a terminal decline. The total leucocyte count showed a terminal increase while the haematocrit dropped progressively.