Summary
Bleeder swine are characterized by a prolonged bleeding time, decreased factor VIII levels or reduced platelet adhesiveness or both, and a factor VIII response to infusion of plasma or serum similar to that described in von Willebrand’s disease. In this study the factor VIII response of bleeder swine infused with fresh non-glass-contact pig plasma was similar to that reported in previous experiments after infusion of plasma that was frozen and stored for a variable period of time before use or was not free of glass contact. There was no beneficial effect on platelet adhesiveness. Following platelet concentrate infusion, there was no sustained normalization of platelet adhesiveness, although elevations into the normal range occurred at varying intervals after platelet infusion in two of three pigs investigated. Infusion of factor VIII-deficient plasma from a canine hemophiliac elicited a factor VIII response similar to that described in von Willebrand’s disease patients infused with plasma from factor VIII-deficient human hemophiliacs. In none of these experiments was there any apparent correction of the bleeding time.
