Body temperature and plasma arginine vasotocin in fowls adapted to high- and low-NaCl diets.

The effects of high- and low-NaCl diets on body temperature, plasma osmolality, plasma electrolytes and arginine vasotocin (AVT) were studied in the domestic fowl. Body temperature as a function of time increased or decreased significantly in the high- and low-NaCl groups respectively. Plasma osmolality, sodium and chloride concentrations and AVT concentration were significantly higher in the high-NaCl adapted group. An overall significant correlation was found between body temperature and plasma sodium-to-calcium ratio (r = 0.62). These findings support the concept of an altered hypothalamic thermoregulatory set-point, induced by changes in plasma sodium-to-calcium ratio.