Biochemical and haematological evidence of endotoxic shock in gnotobiotic lambs with watery mouth disease.

Eight gnotobiotic lambs deprived of colostrum were infected by mouth when two hours old with nonenterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli. All developed clinical signs of watery mouth disease and seven died within 24 hours. The mean concentrations of several blood constituents were determined in samples taken at intervals until 24 hours after infection in infected lambs and in four control lambs. The biochemical and haematological changes observed in the lambs developing watery mouth disease were those characteristic of endotoxic shock.