Estimation of urine flow rate in mares.

This study focused on understanding the rate of urine flow and urinary excretion in Thoroughbred mares using untimed urine samples. By determining parameters such as flow rate, creatinine concentration, osmolarity, and refractive index of the urine samples, the authors could predict urinary flow and estimate phenylbutazone excretion.

Research Methodology

• The research was conducted on 12 healthy Thoroughbred mares and included 53 experiments. A total of 228 quantitatively collected urine samples were examined.
• Forty of the urine samples were collected after inducing water diuresis, while 11 samples were collected after furosemide-induced diuresis.
• The researchers analyzed these urine samples for flow rate, creatinine concentration, osmolarity, and refractive index. Creatinine concentration was specifically used to predict the urinary flow rate.

Key Findings

• Flow rates ranged from 1.2 to 84.5 ml/min and could be predicted based on urinary creatinine concentration. This shows that creatinine concentration is directly related to urine flow rate in horses.
• The correlation between urinary flow and urinary creatinine concentration accounted for 94% of the variability in the urinary flow rates, demonstrating a high degree of accuracy in predicting flow rates based on creatinine levels.
• Phenylbutazone, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), was administered before collecting 168 samples. The predicted urine flow rates from the urinary creatinine concentration were used to estimate the excretion of phenylbutazone. This finding suggests that the technique can potentially gauge the excretion of certain drugs or substances in horse urine.

Implications of the Findings

• The results indicate that urine flow could be estimated without the need for quantitative urine collection. This could make it easier to manage urinary health in horses and could also facilitate further studies in this area.
• The study’s methodology and findings could potentially be extrapolated to other species and areas of veterinary medicine.
• The relationship between urinary creatinine concentration and urine flow rate can significantly assist in understanding the excretion of certain substances or drugs, like phenylbutazone, in horses.