Changes in plasma enzyme activities and other blood components in response to acute and chronic liver damage in cattle.

ABSTRACT

Three calves were dosed orally with carbon tetrachloride at 0.05, 0.1 or 0.3 ml/kg body-weight. Plasma enzyme activities, clotting times, bilirubin concentrations and bromsulphthalein elimination times increased. These changes are associated with damage to the liver and are discussed in relation to the clinical syndrome. Three groups of seven calves were infected weekly with 10, 50 or 100 Fasciola hepatica metacercariae for 12 consecutive weeks. Maximum glutamate dehydrogenase and gamma glutamyltransferase activities in the plasma were greater with the larger infecting doses but there was no change in plasma clotting times.