Nutritional restriction and acid-base balance in white-tailed deer.
We examined the effect of progressive nutritional restriction on acid-base balance in seven captive, adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from 4 February to 5 May 1988 in north central Minnesota (USA). Metabolic acidosis was indicated by low mean blood pH (7.25 to 7.33) in deer throughout the study. Mean urinary pH values declined (P = 0.020) from a mean (+/- SE) baseline of 8.3 +/- 0.1 to 6.7 +/- 0.3 as restriction progressed. Acidemia and aciduria were associated with significant variations in mean blood CO2 (P = 0.006) and pO2 (P = 0.032), serum potassium (P = 0.004) concentrations, and with a significant (P = 0.104) handling date x group interaction in urinary potassium: creatinine values. Mean bicarbonate:carbonic acid ratios were consistently below 20:1 during nutritional restriction. Mean packed cell volume increased (P = 0.019) and serum total protein decreased (P = 0.001); thus there was evidence for progressive dehydration and net protein catabolism, respectively. Blood pCO2, serum sodium, and urinary sodium:creatinine were stable throughout the study. We propose that acidosis and aciduria are metabolic complications associated with nutritional restriction of white-tailed deer.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Forest Wildlife Populations and Research Group, Grand Rapids 55744.
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D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D003670:Deer / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000662:veterinary; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
D001798:Blood Proteins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D012964:Sodium; D003404:Creatinine; D011188:Potassium; D010100:Oxygen