Experimental Dehydration: Chemical Changes in the Blood of the Dog Contrasted with Those following Obstruction of the Cardiac End of the Stomach

A comparative chemical study of the blood and the urine of the dog with experimental dehydration and with obstruction of the cardiac end of the stomach is reported. The average duration of life is slightly longer with dehydration than with obstruction. The urine output per kilo of body weight is almost twice as great in dehydration as with obstruction. The increase in non-protein nitrogen and urea nitrogen is much the same in the two groups although somewhat more marked with obstruction. The chlorides of the blood are markedly increased with dehydration and slightly decreased with obstruction. The increase in fibrinogen and total protein is twice as great with obstruction as with dehydration. These findings indicate that there must be some factor or factors in addition to dehydration producing the toxemia of cardiac obstruction.