İnvestigation of neonatal hypothermia and hypoglisemia complex in lambs

The purpose of the current study was to ivestigate complex of hypotermia and hypoglisemia formed especially in the first 3 days (especially 5-12 hours) of lifespan in lambs. Twenty healthy, twenty mild hipotermy, ten severe hypotermy lambs were used as study material. After clinicinal examination of lambs (heart and respiratory rate, body temperature), blood samples were taken duly from V. jugularis and serums were separated. Blood glucose level was determined by glucometer from whole blood samples whereas total protein and albumine were determined by refractometer. All statical analysis evaluated by SPSS software (MS Windows Release, version 22). It was determined that, the mean values of body temperature, respiration and heart frequencies are, respectively; in healty lambs 39.36±0.22oC, 55±5.79 pcs/min and 146.9±9.37 pcs/min; in patient lambs with mild hypothermia 37.66±0.48oC, 34.90±5.48 pcs/min and 72.40±10.15 pcs/min and in patient lambs with severe hypothermia 36.49±0.34oC, 20.00±4.52 pcs/min and 51.00±4.35 pcs/min. It was detected that the mean values of glucose, albumin and total protein of blood are respectively; in healty lambs 103.20±30.07 mg/dL, 3.22±0.38 and 6.18±1.17; in patient lambs with mild hypothermia 55.25±13.29 mg/dL, 3.02±0.36 g/dL and 4.91±1.11 g/dL and in patient lambs with severe hypothermia 20.20±4.83 mg/dL, 2.53±0.42 g/dL ve 3.90±0.55 g/dL. With regard to clinical (body temperature, respiration and heart frequencies) and biochemical (glucose, albumin and total protein) parameters, the differences between all groups were found to be significant (P<0.05). It was tried to replace the glucose reserves and adjust the body tempratures by administering colostrum via feeding bottle or stomach tube or intraperitonally glucose injection for the treatment of animals with neonatal hipotermy and hypoglisemia (mild hipotermy and severe hypotermy). Whereas all lambs in the control group were alive, the mortality of experimental groups was 25 % of the lambs with mild hypotermia and 70 % of the lambs with severe hypotermia. It may be suppose that, because of lambing season generally coincided with the winter period in our region and our country, complex of hypotermia and hypoglisemia is a considerable issue. In conclusion, early diagnosis and treatment of mild cases are important because of high level of mortality in the severe hypotermic-hypoglycemic complex. Keywords: Hypotermia, hypoglycaemia, newborn, lamb