Pigment metabolism. I. The examination of the urine and blood of dogs for bilirubin and haemoglobin

Abstract

1. In all the cases of bilirubinaemia examined, whether the animals suffered from canine piroplasmosis or hepatic disturbances abnormal amounts of bilirubin were excreted in the urines. 2. Haemoglobin was frequently present in the urine of dogs suffering from piroplasmosis. The highest concentration of haemoglobin found was 799 mg. per 100 c.c. urine. No haemoglobin could be detected in the urines of dogs suffering from hepatic disturbances. 3. The plasma bilirubin of the piroplasmosis cases gave an indirect v. d. Bergh reaction whereas that of the hepatic disturbance cases gave the direct reaction with the v. d. Bergh reagent. The highest plasma bilirubin figure obtained was 53 v. d. Bergh units in a case of canine piroplasmosis. 4. In the piroplasmosis cases an increase in bilirubin was accompanied by a decrease in haemoglobin in the blood, whereas in the hepatic disturbance cases there was no decrease of the blood haemoglobin, the bilirubin in the plasma being due to retention and not to haemolysis.