Veterinary Medicine 85 4 379...386

This paper covers uncomplicated versus complicated infection, bacterial susceptibility and antibiotic selection, managing lower urinary tract infection and new approaches to chronic tract infection.

American Journal of Veterinary Research 52 12 1956 1959

Acidaemia stimulates renal ammonia production and excretion. This adaptive response allows increased H+ secretion and generation of new bicarbonate. To determine whether a relationship existed between urine ammonium (NH4+) concentration and excretion and urine anion gap (Na+ + K+ - Cl-), ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) was administered per os for 5 days to induce systemic acidaemia in 12 healthy Beagles. During NH4Cl administration, a strong, relationship was apparent between urine NH4+ concentration measured in millimoles per litre and urine anion gap. A significant relationship existed between urine NH4+ excretion measured in millimoles per kilogram of body weight per day and urine anion gap. As urine NH4+ concentration or excretion increased, the urine anion gap became more negative. Before NH4Cl administration (no systemic acidaemia), a weak, but significant relationship was observed between urine NH4+ concentration and urine anion gap. However, a relationship was not evident between urine NH4+ excretion and urine anion gap before NH4Cl administration. Hence, urine anion gap is a reliable index of urine NH4+ concentration and excretion only in dogs with metabolic acidosis. In human beings with distal renal tubular acidosis, NH4+ excretion is inappropriately low and results in a positive urine anion gap. Therefore, as a reliable index of NH4+ excretion, urine anion gap may represent an easy and rapid method to aid in the diagnosis of distal renal tubular acidosis in dogs.

Canadian Veterinary Journal 29 5 448 452

Tumours of gastrin-secreting cells (gastinomas) which result in a characteristic clinical syndrome of hypergastinaemia, leading to gastric acid hypersecretion with subsequent severe gastrointestinal ulceration are reviewed. The most common clinical signs are anorexia, lethargy, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhoea, and hypoalbuminaemia. Hypergastrinaemia is also seen in other disorders and caution should be used in utilizing fasting serum gastrin concentrations as the sole diagnostic criterion.

American Journal of Veterinary Research 52 2 236 238 UNITED STATES

The urine-blood carbon dioxide tension (PCO2) gradient was measured in 10 healthy mature Beagles after alkalinization of the urine by administration of sodium bicarbonate. The mean (+/- SD) urine-blood PCO2 gradient was 65.92 +/- 14.42 mm of Hg, with range of 38.2 to 82.2 mm of Hg. Mean urine PCO2 was 110.21 +/- 14.19 mm of Hg, with range of 84.1 to 127.3 mm of Hg. Because urine-blood PCO 2 gradient less than 30.0 mm of Hg or urine PCO2 less than 55 mm of Hg in people is diagnostic for a defect in distal nephron acidification, similar values might be applicable to diseases in dogs

American Journal of Veterinary Research 50 11 1829 1830 UNITED STATES

To test the acidifying ability of the distal portion of the nephrons in healthy dogs, 0.2 g of NH4Cl/kg of body weight was given PO. Samples for venous blood gas analysis and urine pH were taken hourly for 6 hours. Systemic acidemia developed, as evidenced by a statistically significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in blood pH 1 hour after NH4Cl administration. Four hours after administration, mean urine pH decreased to a low of 5.16 +/- 0.1 and was less than 5.5 3 hours after administration. Changes in urine pH 2 hours after administration were statistically significant (P less than 0.05). In human beings, NH4Cl loading is used to detect patients with distal renal tubular acidosis (defective hydrogen ion secretion by the distal nephrons) and normal acid/base values. Distal renal tubular acidosis is diagnosed if urine pH fails to decrease to less than 5.5 after NH4Cl administration. On the basis of the findings of this study, a similar value would be valid for dogs

630 Williams & Wilkins.. Baltimore, Maryland, USA

A course book on presenting symptoms, and diseases of internal organs in dogs and cats. There is a self-assessment section containing 100 multiple-choice questions. Other titles in the same series have dealt with small animal surgery, cytology, pharmacology and toxicology.