The composition of plasma and interstitial fluid of sheep with the 'wet carcass' syndrome.
Carcasses of sheep from various areas in South Africa and South West Africa (Namibia) show a wet glistening appearance immediately after slaughter. The subcutaneous interstitial fluid of these sheep has a significantly lower protein concentration and colloid osmotic pressure and a significantly higher albumin/globulin ratio than that of normal sheep. These results imply the presence of an oedema and an increased capillary permeability to protein. They suggest that histamine, or an histamine-like substance, mediates the changes.
D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000032:analysis; D010949:Plasma / Q000032:analysis; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000473:pathology*