title: Physiologic alterations in the horse produced by food and water deprivation during periods of high environmental temperatures.
abstract: Eight normal horses were held without access to food or water for 72 hours during a period of high environmental temperatures. During this period, the horses had an average weight loss of 51.6 kg (10.7% of body weight). Highly significant (P less than 0.001) decreases in extracellular fluid volume (18.6 L) and plasma volume (5 L) were observed during this period as compared with base-line values. Plasma protein, sodium, chloride, and osmolality progressively increased in response to the dehydration, whereas packed cell volume, plasma potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate were not significantly altered. The dehydration and clinicopathologic alterations produced were similar to those observed in other species in which the principal problem was a water deficit. After the end of the experimental dehydration period, the horses replaced 62% of the weight loss during a 1-hour period with access to water only.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D002712:Chlorides / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005110:Extracellular Space; D005508:Food Deprivation; D006400:Hematocrit; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008297:Male; D010953:Plasma Volume; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D014868:Water Deprivation
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D002712:Chlorides; D012964:Sodium