Glutaraldehyde and formol-gel tests in bovine traumatic peritonitis

Eighty-two cows with traumatic peritonitis were examined by means of rapid tests for estimation of the blood fibrinogen and immunoglobulin status. The examination was made with this disease as a model in order, to study the possibilities offered by these rapid tests of an improved basis for clinical assessment of the stage and intensity of inflammatory processes in disease. According to their reaction to the tests the cases were divided into 6 reaction groups. All groups exhibited different blood protein patterns, which may be considered to reflect different intensities and/or stages of the disease. A proposed classification is discussed.

The value of the glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde tests in evaluation of the globulin level in bovine blood

So-called liability reactions are based on the gelification of blood globulins when reacting with, i.e., glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde. Solidifying time is inversely proportional to the globulin concentration of the blood. In the present investigation glutaraldehyde and formaline-gelification tests were compared concerning their diagnostic and prognostic value in dairy cows with internal diseases.

The investigation confirmed earlier results. The correlation between globulin concentration and gelification time was significant, and both tests give very good possibilities to reveal hyper-γ-globulinaemias.

The 2 tests were relatively equal as regards the reliability. Even though the formol-gel reaction allows a somewhat better safety and semi-quantitative differentiation than the glutaraldehyde test, the latter has obvious practical advantages. It can be done on whole blood and with a short observation time. Thus, the blood globulin status can be evaluated during the visit on the farm.