An early declining trend in haemoglobin concentration, concurrent with reduced total erythrocyte count and PCV% was observed with pentazocine or lysine acetyl salicylate (LAS) analgesic premedication in thiobarbiturate intravenous general anaesthesia in atropine-primed normal dogs. While the declining trend in PCV% persisted with pentazocine, it had abated at 1.5 hr with LAS pre-medication. No evidence of intravascular haemolysis or red cell morphological aberration was found. Alterations in the values of major haematological indices appear to be a passive consequence of volume changes in the splenic pulp: initial dilatation induced by the thiobarbiturate followed by spontaneous contraction back to original biometry. The observed early lymphopoenic-eosinopoenic response might reflect enhanced glucocorticoid titre during the anaesthetic stress.

Haematology and serum chemistry was studied in young (5-6 months) and adult (2-2½ years) changthangi goats (Capra hircus) to investigate the age associated changes in blood constituents. Significant difference was recorded in most of the haematological and biochemical indices between two age groups. Higher values were recorded for total erythrocytes (16.63 ± 0.61 and 12.79 ± 0.56 x 106 / cumm) in young and adult respectively when compared to reference values for goats which speaks of its adaptation to high altitude hypoxic conditions. The total leukocyte count (9.99 ± 0.72 x 103/ cumm) in young was significantly (P0.01) higher as compared to the adults (6.38 ± 0.65 x 103/ cumm). Present study has shown significant (P0.01) age related difference in differential leukocyte count, with neutrophils high in young and lymphocytes in adults. Biochemical studies revealed age associated difference with total proteins (7.48 ± 0.08 g/ dl), cholesterol (108.40 ± 6.26 mg/ dl), triglycerides (99.20 ± 7.79 mg/dl), LDL (20. 20 ± 2.01mg/dl), HDL (68.14 ± 3.65mg/ dl) and creatinine (0.92 ± 0.04 mg/ dl) higher in adults and enzymes like ALP (151.31 ± 10.26 u/l) and AST (165.43 ± 4.7 u/l) higher in young. The study indicated that age be considered while interpreting the clinical and experimental data.