Urinary GGT/creatinine ratio and fractional excretion of electrolytes in diarrhoeic calves.
The aim of this study was to monitor renal function in diarrhoeic calves and to determine the effectiveness of an applied fluid therapy. A total of 28 diarrhoeic (n = 18) and healthy (n = 10) Holstein-Friesian calves of different sexes, between 1 and 30 days of age, were used. Blood and urine samples were obtained from diarrhoeic calves before the treatment and then three more times at 24-h intervals during the treatment. From healthy calves, samples were taken only once. Therapy was started by the intravenous administration of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate and 0.9% sodium chloride solutions for the first 24 h, followed by the oral application of a commercial electrolyte solution (sodium chloride 3.5 g, trisodium citrate 2.9 g, potassium chloride 1.5 g and glucose anhydrous 20 g in 1 litre H2O) up to the 48th h of therapy. Before the therapy, the average levels of pH (7.10 +/- 0.12), bicarbonate (HCO3-) (16.48 +/- 3.80 mmol/l), base deficit (-12.65 +/- 5.97 mmo/l) and fractional excretion (FE) of sodium (0.16 +/- 0.11%) and potassium (15.07 +/- 8.56%) were significantly lower while serum urea (17.48 +/- 10.32 mmol/l) and creatinine (Cr) concentrations (169.72 +/- 98.12 micromol/l), haematocrit levels (45.13 +/- 13.60%) and urinary gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT)/Cr ratio (8.6 +/- 4.3 x 1/10(3) U/micromol) were significantly higher in diarrhoeic calves than in healthy calves. Alterations in parameters indicating the presence of renal dysfunction were normalised in the diarrhoeic calves that survived (83.3%). Three calves with severe metabolic acidosis and azotaemia died at the beginning of therapy. It was concluded that the FE of Na and K (FENa, FEK) and urine GGT/Cr ratio may have an important role in assessing renal function in diarrhoeic calves and in evaluating the effectiveness of an applied fluid therapy.
Ulutas
B
B
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Adnan Menderes University, 09016 Aydm, Turkey. bulutas@adu.edu.tr
Sahal
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000652:urine*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000652:urine / Q000662:veterinary*; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000652:urine*; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D007677:Kidney Function Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000652:urine*
D004573:Electrolytes; D003404:Creatinine; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase