Viscosity and pH of Blood of Animals
Viscosity and pH of Blood of Animals is described below:
Viscosity of Blood of Animals
Viscosity is influenced by concentration of RBCs and plasma proteins. Among plasma proteins, the viscosity is mainly contributed by the gamma globulins which provide the resistance to blood flow and helps the normal pumping activity of the heart.
It is normally about five times greater than water. Viscosity of blood is determined using viscosimeter.
An increase in the viscosity of blood is seen in conditions like polycythemia, congestive heart failure, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhoea etc, whereas a decrease in the viscosity is commonly noticed in anemia, oedema etc.
pH of Blood of Animals
The normal pH of the blood is 7.4
The venous blood is slightly towards acidic side because of the increased content of CO2, whereas the arterial blood is slightly more towards alkaline side. The plasma is more alkaline than the corpuscles.
| Animal | pH |
| Dog | 7.32- 7.68 |
| Cattle | 7.35 – 7.50 |
| Horse | 7.35 – 7.43 |
| Fowl | 7.56. |
Excessive production of metabolic acid products causes abnormal reduction in the alkaline reserve leading to the condition referred to as acidosis, whereas abnormal increase in the alkaline reserve is called as alkalosis.