Physiology and Pharmacology

en Study of clinical signs and hematological alterations after intramuscular injection of different doses of Vipera lebetina venom in dogs Experimental research article Experimental research article S Jafari Shoorijeh and AN TaghipourFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.Abstract:Sixteen healthy native dogs aged about 2 years with average body weight of 22.5selected for this study. Dogs were divided randomly into four groups (4 dogs/group). Clinical signs were recordedand blood samples were collected for laboratory examination before injection of venom. The control group wasinjected with 1ml of saline solution and the groups 2-4 respectively received 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg of the venompowder of dog. Clinical signs were recorded and blood samples were collected at different time (10, 20, 30 and 60 minutesand 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours) after injection of venom examined for sedimentation rate, WBC count, number ofneutrophils, RBC and platelet count, HCT, Hb concentration, MCV, MCH, MCHC, bleeding and clotting time,PT and PTT. The results were analyzed statistically.Results indicated that the main clinical signs were pain, pawing, weakness, whimpering, leash chewing, subcutaneoushemorrhage, hypotension and death in dogs in high doses. Heart and respiratory rate and body temperature in dogs ofgroups 2, 3 and 4 increased after injection of snake venom (P<0.05) which could be related to pain, stress and tissuedamage at the site of venom injection. This resulted in an increase in body temperature due to release of pyrogenicsubstances especially in dogs of group 4. Number of white blood cells (WBC) decreased significantly (P<0.05)which could be related to stress and accumulation of white blood cells in the foci of exogenic factor and consumptionof WBC and tissues damage. Comparison of means of platelets, indicated a significant difference in dogs of thegroup 3 (P<0.05). Primary decrease in the platelets of dogs is due to consumption of platelets in blood circulation atthe site of venom injection and hemorrhage then increased due to body replacement. A significant increase (P<0.05)in coagulation, prothrombin and partial thromoplastin time in dogs of groups 3 and 4 was observed. This increasecould be related to anticoagulant factor of the venom of this snake, which showed its effects in high doses.It is concluded that in addition to clinical signs and hematological changes, coagulopathy and hemolysis in highdoses of ±1.5 kg of both sexes wereVipera lebetina dissolved in 1 ml saline solution, injected into the hind limb (biceps femoris) of eachVipera lebetina venom were the main effects on hematological parameters in this respect.Keywords: Snake venom, Vipera lebetina, Clinical signs, Hematological, Parameters, Dog. 173 182 http://ppj.phypha.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-30-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1