抄録
In this study, we determined a physiological standard for fibrinogen (Fbg) concentration in the plasma of clinically healthy thoroughbred racehorses trained under sufficient loads for running in races. Furthermore, we examined the usefulness of Fbg levels by comparing them with the white blood cell (WBC) counts in peripheral blood from thoroughbred racehorses diagnosed as suffering from colds or bacterial pneumonia. The Fbg level in healthy horses was lower (246.0 ± 33.1 mg/dl) than previously reported values. On the other hand, both the Fbg levels at the first medical examination and the maximum Fbg levels reflected the severity of the respiratory disorders; therefore, higher Fbg concentrations tended to be related to longer treatment periods. The results suggest that Fbg measurements, both initially and with the elapse of time, can enable the severity of clinical conditions of respiratory disorders in racehorses to be determined and an estimate to be made of the treatment period needed to cure the disease. Therefore, measurements of not only peripheral WBC counts, which have been previously examined, but also of Fbg concentrations permit a diagnosis, based on clinical conditions, of the severity of inflammation that can provide essential information on the pathological states of respiratory disorders, particularly bacterial pneumonia, in racehorses.
