Haemoconcentration in Yankasa sheep exposed to prolonged water deprivation

Abstract

Five non-pregnant healthy Yankasa ewes were deprived of water for 10 d with only one watering period during hot dry weather. On d 5, the mean body weight significantly ( P<0.05) decreased, while mean packed cell volume (PCV) and plasma potassium (K), bicarbonate, glucose concentrations and albumin-to-globulin ratio did not vary significantly. However, mean plasma total protein and albumin concentrations were slightly increased ( P>0.05) and mean plasma globulin, sodium (Na), chloride, urea, creatinine and cholesterol concentrations and urea-to-creatinine and cholesterol-to-glucose ratios were significantly ( P<0.05) increased. Sheep were watered on an ad libitum basis for only 12 h after sample collection on d 5. On d 10, the mean body weight was only slightly decreased ( P>0.05), mean PCV and plasma K, bicarbonate and glucose concentrations and albumin-to-globulin ratio still did not vary significantly. Significant increases ( P<0.05) in mean plasma Na, chloride, creatinine and cholesterol concentrations and cholesterol-to-glucose ratio were sustained, while mean plasma total protein, albumin, globulin and urea concentrations, and urea-to-creatinine ratio returned to normal. In conclusion, when assessing haemoconcentration during prolonged dehydration, PCV may not be increased and plasma total protein, albumin, globulin and urea concentrations may be initially increased, but later return to normal, whereas increases in plasma Na, chloride, creatinine and cholesterol are sustained. With this information, misleading interpretations of blood data from clinically dehydrated Yankasa sheep may be avoided.