The effect of ethacrynic acid, bumetanide, frusemide, spironolactone and ADH on electrolyte excretion in ponies.

The effect of ethacrynic acid, bumetanide, frusemide, spironolactone and anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) on the urinary and faecal excretion of water and electrolytes by ponies was studied. Ethacrynic acid, bumetanide, and frusemide given intravenously, increased urinary sodium excretion, and, excepting frusemide, decreased faecal sodium excretion. Given by stomach tube ethacrynic acid reduced urinary and faecal sodium. Bumetanide, given intravenously, spironolactone, frusemide and ADH increased urinary sodium and all except frusemide intravenously decreased faecal sodium regardless of route of administration. Ethacrynic acid and bumetanide, given by stomach tube or intravenously decreased urinary and faecal potassium excretion, as did spironolactone and frusemide given orally. Ethacrynic acid and bumetanide given orally or intravenously, frusemide given orally and ADH intranasally reduced urinary chloride excretion; these same drugs by the same routes also reduced faecal chloride excretion. Excepting frusemide given intravenously, and ethacrynic acid orally, the effect of the drugs studied was not the same on urinary sodium excretion as on faecal sodium excretion. This suggested that different mechanisms were involved in the control of sodium excretion by the kidney and in the gut. There were similarities in the treatment of potassium and chloride by these organs.