Plasma vasopressin concentrations in healthy foals from birth to 3 months of age.
BACKGROUND
Arginine vasopressin (AVP) has received increased attention in equine critical care but there is minimal information of AVP concentration in foals. The clinical usefulness of measuring AVP in ill foals depends on knowledge of age-related changes in AVP concentrations in healthy foals.


OBJECTIVE
Plasma AVP concentrations will be significantly different when measured from birth to 3 months of age in healthy foals.


METHODS
Thirteen healthy university-owned foals.


METHODS
Prospective, observational study. Blood was collected from healthy foals at birth and 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 42, 56, and 84 days of age. Plasma was harvested and plasma AVP concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
No statistically significant differences were detected in plasma AVP concentrations over the study period. Plasma AVP concentrations over the entire study period was 6.2+/-2.5 pg/mL.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no age-related variation in plasma AVP concentrations detected in healthy foals from birth to 3 months of age suggesting that AVP concentrations are similar across foals of these ages.
Wong
D M
DM
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, the Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA. dwong@iastate.edu
Vo
D T
DT
Alcott
C J
CJ
Peterson
A D
AD
Brockus
C W
CW
Hsu
W H
WH
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000097:blood*
D014667:Vasopressins