The acute phase serum protein response to infection, inflammation or trauma has been identified in a number of species and consists of alterations to the serum concentrations of several proteins. It is known that the profile of acute phase protein response to stimulation differs between species. In the pig, individual proteins have been identified as acute phase proteins in association with infection or pathological lesions. In this investigation, turpentine injection was used to stimulate a sterile inflammatory lesion in pigs so that the relative changes in acute phase protein could be determined and the most appropriate proteins identified as markers of inflammation. The mean serum concentration of the acid soluble glycoprotein fraction showed a two-fold increase with a peak 2 days after treatment. The mean serum alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein concentration fluctuated during the period following injection of turpentine with little difference from the control animals. The mean concentration of serum ceruloplasmin increased by 40% by the 4th day following treatment. The mean serum concentration of haptoglobin increased more than two-fold reaching a peak on the 2nd day after treatment. The mean serum C-reactive protein level increased eight-fold with a peak on the 2nd day after turpentine injection. C-reactive protein and haptoglobin are likely to be the best markers for the identification of inflammatory lesions in pigs.