SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY AND NATIVE PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS IN DIARRHEIC CALVES WITH ARTHRITIS

In this study, serum biochemistry and native protein electrophoresis in newborn calves with diarrhea and arthritis, were performed in order to evaluate the changes along with clinical findings for their possible application in the diagnosis and prognosis of disease. Based on clinical examination, animals were allotied into two groups comprising either diseased or healthy animals. Urea, creatinine, ALT, AST, LDH, albumin, total protein, glucose, total cholesterol, uric acid and iron levels were determined in the sera. Serum protein native polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis (nPAGE) was performed followed by protein band ratio estimation supported with densitometry at 596 nm. Differences between the average mean of healthy and diseased animals were compared statistically (Kruskal-Walley test). In this study a decrease in serum glucose and cholesterol values (p<0.001), increase in urea, LDH levels and alpha 1-and alpha 2-globulin levels (p<0.01 and p<0.05 respectively) were found to be associated with the disease. As a result, the observed significant changes in biochemical parameters and clinical investigation in calves, suggesting acute inflammation causing the decrease in glucose and increase in a-globulins, may be of prognostic value.