Acid-base balance parameters and a value of anion gap of arterial and venous blood in Małopolski horses.

The research looked at differences in Acid-Base Balance (ABB) parameters in the arterial and venous blood of 20 healthy Małopolski horses. The study found notable differences in these parameters, but no significant difference in the pH and anion gap.

Objective of the Research

• The aim of the study was to examine Acid-Base Balance (ABB) parameters and anion gap in the blood samples taken from both the facial artery (arterial blood) and the external cervical vein (venous blood) of healthy Małopolski horses.

Methodology and Samples

• 20 clinically healthy mature Małopolski horses were selected for the study.
• Blood samples were taken from the facial artery and the external cervical vein of each horse.
• The blood samples were tested for pH, pCO2, tCO2, HCO3-, concentration of Na+, K+, Cl-, and the anion gap.

Significant Findings

• The study found that while the pH of the arterial blood and venous blood did not differ significantly, the pCO2, tCO2, and HCO3- (all key ABB parameters) displayed a significant difference in the two types of blood samples.
• The anion gap, which is a measure of the concentration of all the measured and unmeasured anions in the blood, showed no significant difference between the arterial and venous blood samples.

Conclusions

• There are significant differences in specific ABB parameters, namely pCO2, tCO2, and HCO3- when comparing arterial and venous blood from Małopolski horses.
• The research suggests that for more accurate diagnosis of conditions such as compensated respiratory acidosis, it’s more reliable to determine ABB parameters in arterial blood rather than venous blood, despite the lack of differences in the pH and anion gap between arterial and venous blood.
• For horses aged between 8-12 years, the mean anion gap is 20.9 mmol/l in arterial blood and 19.93 mmol/l in venous blood; this difference was not statistically significant.