The Hypercoagulability in Mercury Chloride Intoxicated Dogs

Abstract

Experimental acute mercury chloride intoxication has been produced in the dog by subcutaneous injection of HgCl₂ in a daily dose of 3 mg/kg of weight for 3 days. The following features of hypercoagulability of dog blood have been found: increase of fibrinogen level, increase of factors II and VII, shortening of the thrombin and prothrombin times, shortening of the thromboelastographic “r” and “k” values, increase of “ma” and “me” values, increase of platelet adhesiveness. On the other hand plastic clotting time was slightly prolonged. It has been postulated that hypercoagulability in the dog during mercury chloride intoxication is caused by the increase of inactive clotting factors. This may be connected with disturbances in the plasma protein balance in nephrosis.