Studies on Serum Flocculation Test in Race Horses

Abstract

It had never been reported what kind of flocculation tests might be recommended for the race horse clinic or what kind of relationship might be present among various types of tests. The present studies were performed to settle these problems and obtain any new findings. Some methods were examined comparatively with 45 serum samples collected from diseased race horses for diagnostic purposes and 38 from healthy race horses. All the samples gave positive cephalin-cholesterol-lecithin flocculation tests at a medium degree or higher, and negative thymol turbidity tests and negative Hayem tests, without exception. Accordingly, it was impossible to apply these three tests to race horses. It was difficult and required skill to read the end-point of the Gros test in any one of the samples. There was an intimate relationship between Ucko's modification of the Takata test or the sublimate test and the albumin-globulin ratio. The two tests were proved to be of high value when applied to race horses. The Lugol test with its simple technique was the most fitted for screening purposes to clarify an increase in globulin content. The zinc sulfate turbidity test was found to be of high clinical value, since it was closely related to a rise and fall of serum gammaglobulin content in race horses.