Chemical Findings in the Blood of the Dog after Temporary Obstruction of the Pylorus

The toxemia characteristic of upper gastrointestinal tract obstruction may be produced by temporary obstruction of the pylorus. This procedure affords an opportunity for studying the toxemia in the absence of mechanical factors, operative risk, and infection. Animals which spontaneously recover from the toxemia may show a return of the blood chloride to normal when only distilled water is given. In such instances there must be a redistribution of the body store of chlorides. The administration of sodium chloride by mouth to animals which show a toxemia without evidence of spontaneous recovery causes a rapid return of the blood to normal. There is a marked diuresis with high nitrogen excretion during the toxemia. This is evidently due to the increased protein destruction. The return of the blood chlorides to normal causes a cessation of the increased protein destruction.