Nitrogen balance in clinically normal dogs receiving parenteral nutrition solutions.
OBJECTIVE
To determine nitrogen balance in clinically normal dogs receiving parenteral nutrition solutions.


METHODS
8 clinically normal female Beagles.


METHODS
Dogs were randomly assigned to receive 4 treatments in random order. Treatment A consisted of IV administration of nonlactated Ringer's solution. Treatments B, C, and D consisted of IV administration of isocaloric parenteral solutions containing 0, 1.36, and 2.04 g of amino acids/kg of body weight/d, respectively, for 7 consecutive days. Urine and feces were collected on days 5, 6, and 7 of each treatment period, and Kjeldahl analysis was used to determine nitrogen balance.


RESULTS
Mean nitrogen balance was negative with treatments A and B but was not significantly different from 0 with treatments C and D. Dogs had the lowest nitrogen balance values and lost the most weight while receiving treatment A. Dogs were able to conserve protein and had higher nitrogen balance values when receiving treatment B, compared with treatment A. Dogs lost the least amount of weight while receiving treatment D. Regression analysis indicated that an IV amino acid intake of 2.32 g/kg/d (95% confidence interval, 2.00 to 2.81 g/kg/d), as supplied by the commercial product used in this study, would result in zero nitrogen balance in clinically normal dogs.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest that IV amino acid requirement of clinically normal dogs is approximately 2.3 g/kg/d.
Mauldin
G E
GE
Department of Clinical Sciences, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
Reynolds
A J
AJ
Mauldin
G N
GN
Kallfelz
F A
FA
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000662:veterinary*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
D000596:Amino Acids; D009584:Nitrogen