Effects of dexamethasone on endotoxin shock in the anesthetized pony: hematologic, blood gas, and coagulation changes

The effects of dexamethasone (1 mg/kg of body weight) on hematologic, blood gas, and blood coagulation values in anesthetized ponies during endotoxin-induced shock were evaluated. Fifteen ponies were assigned to 3 groups of 5 ponies each: group 1, anesthetized nontreated and dexamethasone-treated controls; group 2, endotoxin, nontreated; group 3, endotoxin, dexamethasone treated. The hematologic changes in this endotoxin shock model included leukopenia and hemoconcentration. Significant hematologic effects were not seen in ponies after administration of dexamethasone. However, dexamethasone treatment resulted in an increased trend in total WBC counts and neutrophils. The blood gas changes reflected a respiratory component resulting from anesthesia and a greater metabolic component from the endotoxemia. The plasma lactate increase was significantly (P less than 0.05) less in ponies treated with dexamethasone, compared with plasma lactate in non-treated ponies. During endotoxin shock, the changes observed in the blood coagulation values included a significant (P less than 0.05) prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time and an insignificant prolongation of the prothrombin time. Dexamethasone treatment prevented prolongation of thrombin time and permitted only a mild prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time. Seemingly, corticosteroids are useful in the treatment of clinical endotoxin shock in horses as indicated by their desirable effects on total WBC, neutrophils, cellular metabolism, and blood coagulation.