Biochemical profiles during endotoxic shock and after hypertonic saline solution, Dexamethasone and Flunixin meglumine administration in buffalo calves

Abstract

Endotoxic shock was produced in five apparently healthy male buffalo calves aged between 4 months to 1 year by I/v infusion of E.coli endotoxin @ 5 μg/Kg BW/ hour for 3 hours. The animals were further observed for a period of 7 days. A general hypoproteinemia was observed during endotoxin infusion along with significant (P<0.01) hypoalbuminemia, hypoglycemia, decrease in plasma globulin, creatinine, BUN and chloride while plasma sodium, potassium, showed nonsignificant alterations during endotoxin infusion for 3 hours. All the endotoxemic buffalo calves were infused I/v hypertonic saline solution (7.2% NaCl acq.) @ 4ml/Kg BW in 6.5 minutes followed by dexamethasone @ 4mg/Kg BW and flunixin meglumine @ 1.1 mg/Kg BW as one time infusion and plasma proteins showed a significant decrease at 4, 5 and 6 hour and on day 2 and 3while albumin showed a declining trend throughout the observation period with a significant fall at 3, 4, 5 hour and on day 6 of start of endotoxin infusion. Plasma globulin and other proteins also decreased. Plasma fibrin increased significantly at 6th hour to day 7 i.e., end of the observation period. Hypoglycemia continued from 2^nd to 6^th hour followed by day 1-5 accompanied by a significant fall in BUN on day 1-3. The plasma creatinine along with sodium and potassium did not alter significantly.