EXPOSURE TO HIGH ALTITUDE OF SHEEP WITH DIFFERENT HÆMOGLOBINS

Abstract

The O 2 pressure, saturation and capacity, the pH and CO 2 pressure in the arterial blood of nonanæsthetized sheep were measured at two altitudes (1600 and 4340 metres). At high altitude sheep carriers of A hæmoglobin had a mean arterial saturation significantly higher than the B hæmoglobin carriers (86·4 ± 0·6 vs. 67·5 ± 1·0). The carriers of a mixture of A and B hæmoglobins had an intermediate saturation: 77·0 ± 1·0. There was no significant difference among the three groups in arterial PO2, pH, PCO2, oxygen capacity and hæmatocrit.