Changes in Some Hematological Characteristics of Coho Salmon (<i>Oncorhynchus kisutch</i>) in Response to Acute Exposure to Dehydroabietic Acid (DHAA) at Different Exercise Levels

Abstract

To determine if changes in some hematological parameters accompanied acute exposure of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) to dehydroabietic acid (DHAA) at three different exercise levels, clotting times, hematocrits, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, red blood cell counts, and white blood cell counts were monitored over 6-, 12-, 24-, and 48-h exposure periods to 0.75 mg/liter DHAA.White cell counts decreased significantly after 24 h exposure and there was a significant increase in clotting times after 48 h exposure to DHAA. In both cases, differences between experimentals and controls were significant only at low and intermediate exercise levels and not at a high exercise level. Hematocrits, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, and red blood cell counts were not significantly different between experimentals and controls for any of the exposure periods or exercise levels.