External balance of water and electrolytes in the horse.
Abstract: The components of the daily external water and electrolyte balances of five normal Standardbred geldings with a mean body weight of 427 kg, were determined over 14 day periods. The mean value of daily total water intake (a summation of free, combined and metabolic water intake) for the group was 27.6 litres, that is, 64.4 ml/kg body weight, while mean values for ambient temperature and humidity ranged from 16 to 25 degrees C and 55.4 to 75.5 per cent, respectively. The mean daily urine volume of 9.9 litres (23.2 ml/kg) for the group, was found to exceed the mean faecal water output of 7.2 litres (16.9 ml/kg). The mean output of sodium for the five animals, in urine and faeces, was 780 mmol or 79 per cent of the intake. The mean output of potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium were 3163, 2521, 1824 and 1448 mmol or 95, 84, 74 and 75 per cent, respectively of intake. The sodium and potassium not accounted for in urine and faeces may well have been lost in sweat. Results are discussed and compared with those of a previous external balance study in the horse.
Publication Date: 1988-05-01 PubMed ID: 3402414DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1988.tb01497.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The study examined the daily intake and output of water and electrolytes in five healthy Standardbred geldings. In general, the horses consumed approximately 27.6 liters of water daily and eliminated most of it through urine and feces, with urine volumes surpassing fecal output. Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium eliminated through urine and feces amounted to a significant percentage of their intake; any unaccounted electrolytes were possibly excreted through sweat.
Research Methodology
- The experiment was conducted over a period of 14 days on five healthy Standardbred geldings with an average body weight of 427 kg. Average environmental conditions were also recorded, with temperature values ranging from 16 to 25 degrees Celsius and humidity percentages from 55.4 to 75.5.
- Accompanying the water supply measurements, the research tracked the intake and output of various electrolytes: sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium.
Key Findings
- The mean daily water intake for the group was calculated to be 27.6 liters, which relates to 64.4 ml/kg of a horse’s body weight.
- The mean urine volume was established at 9.9 liters, beyond the mean fecal water output logged at 7.2 liters.
- Notably, the electrolyte balances presented interesting findings. Sodium output through urine and feces, for instance, was 780 mmol or 79% of intake, implying that a significant portion of the consumed sodium was eliminated from the body.
- As for other electrolytes, the output of potassium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium were found to be 3163, 2521, 1824, and 1448 mmol respectively. In terms of percentage, they constituted 95, 84, 74, and 75 per cent of the intake correspondingly.
- The study suggested that the electrolytes not found in urine or feces could have been lost in sweat, though this was not directly confirmed by the research.
Comparative Analysis
- The results of this study are compared with those of a previous external balance study in horses to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the external balance of water and electrolytes in horses.
- Further research may be needed to confirm the sweat hypothesis and to determine if there are any variations based on breed, age, or physical condition of the horse.
Cite This Article
APA
Groenendyk S, English PB, Abetz I.
(1988).
External balance of water and electrolytes in the horse.
Equine Vet J, 20(3), 189-193.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1988.tb01497.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Body Weight
- Calcium / metabolism
- Chlorides / metabolism
- Chlorides / urine
- Drinking
- Eating
- Feces / analysis
- Horses / metabolism
- Humidity
- Magnesium / metabolism
- Male
- Potassium / metabolism
- Potassium / urine
- Sodium / metabolism
- Sodium / urine
- Temperature
- Water-Electrolyte Balance
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Sponseller BT, Wong DM, Ruby R, Ware WA, Wilson S, Haynes JS. Systemic calcinosis in a Quarter Horse gelding homozygous for a myosin heavy chain 1 mutation. J Vet Intern Med 2022 Jul;36(4):1543-1549.
- Pederzani S, Britton K, Aldeias V, Bourgon N, Fewlass H, Lauer T, McPherron SP, Rezek Z, Sirakov N, Smith GM, Spasov R, Tran NH, Tsanova T, Hublin JJ. Subarctic climate for the earliest Homo sapiens in Europe. Sci Adv 2021 Sep 24;7(39):eabi4642.
- Freeman DE. Effect of Feed Intake on Water Consumption in Horses: Relevance to Maintenance Fluid Therapy. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:626081.
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