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HYPOGAMMAGLOBULINAEMIA IN FOALS: PREVALENCE ON VICTORIAN STUDS AND SIMPLE METHODS FOR DETECTION AND CORRECTION IN THE FIELD
Author(s) -
Pemberton D. H.,
Thomas K. W.,
Terry M. J.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1980.tb02556.x
Subject(s) - colostrum , foal , medicine , antibody , physiology , immunology , veterinary medicine , biology , genetics
SUMMARY The prevalence of hypogammaglobulinaemia in 82 young foals was determined. Twelve foals were considered clinically abnormal at birth and ten died within two weeks. All of these foals were hypogammaglobulinaemic. Seven (10%) of the other 70 apparently normal foals were hypogammaglobulinaemic despite having suckled normally. Three of these foals developed significant disease and one died at one month of age. Rapid detection of foals with low serum immunoglobulin levels was achieved by adapting the zinc sulphate turbidity test to partially evacuated blood collection tubes. This permitted the test to be conducted on the stud or in the veterinarian' own laboratory. Plasma concentrated twofold by a freeze thaw technique was administered intravenously to supplement the immunoglobulin levels of two colostrum deprived foals. The simplicity of the concentration procedure eliminated the need for laboratory preparation of equine immunoglobulin.