Haemodynamic, pathological, haematological and behavioural changes during endotoxin infusion in equine neonates

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of experimentally induced sublethal endotoxaemia in equine neonates. Four foals, between two and five days of age, were infused intravenously with 0.5 microgram/kg bodyweight of Salmonella typhimurium endotoxin (LPS) over a 5 h period. A four-day-old and a five-day-old foal, similarly infused with sterile isotonic saline, served as controls. Clinical signs were monitored, blood samples obtained for evaluation of selected haematological and biochemical parameters; and haemodynamic parameters were recorded hourly during the infusion, as well as 6 and 24 h post infusion. Depression, anorexia, increased rectal temperature, leucopenia followed by leucocytosis, hypoglycaemia, increased prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time (APTT), pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure, right atrial pressure, pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance and mild hypoxaemia were consistent findings in the foals receiving endotoxin. There was marked variation over time in the above parameters, during the infusion. Shock was not induced, and the foals appeared to be healthy shortly after the infusion was discontinued. The return to baseline values of body temperature (3 of 4 foals), APTT (1 of 4 foals) and neutrophil count (2 of 4 foals), during endotoxin infusion, suggests induction of early tolerance. The control foals remained alert and the temperature, prothrombin time and fibrinogen remained stable during the study. Hyperglycaemia, transient increased APTT and variations in selected haemodynamic parameters were recorded in the control foals during the infusion.