Infusion of an acidified ethanolic-dextrose solution enhances urinary ammonium excretion and increases acid resilience in non-mechanically ventilated acidotic rabbits.

Hitherto, the rabbit has long been known to have a very poor tolerance to non-volatile acid. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that acid resilience in the acidotic rabbit can be increased by enhancing the plasma availability of a naturally occurring volatile fatty acid, namely acetate. To ascertain the relative merits of the respiratory and renal systems in contributing to that resilience, we conducted our studies in non-ventilated and mechanically ventilated acidotic animals.

The kinetics of inorganic phosphate excretion in the acidotic rabbit during intravenous phosphate loading: a pseudo-ruminant model.

The rabbit is a much-used experimental animal in renal tubule physiology studies. Although a monogastric mammal, the rabbit is a known hindgut fermenter. That ruminant species excrete inorganic phosphate (Pi) mainly through the digestive system while non-ruminants eliminate surplus phosphate primarily through the renal system are acknowledged facts.

An appraisal of the in vivo role of phosphate as a modulator of urinary ammonium and titratable acid excretion in the acidotic rabbit.

Previous studies have shown that the intravenous infusion of inorganic phosphate increased urinary ammonium excretion 8- to 10-fold in the acidotic rabbit. This was considered to be a very important observation at the time and to be unique to the rabbit. While investigating this finding, we discovered that the formol titration procedure, used to measure urinary ammonium by this research group, is subject to interference by phosphate, casting doubt on the validity of the urinary ammonium excretion data reported by them in the literature.

Collection of untainted urinary specimens from the bladder of an anesthetized rabbit.

It is difficult to collect untainted urine specimens over short intervals of time during renal studies with rabbits. This is because both the ureters and the bladder of this species are relatively friable and minor manipulation can easily cause intraluminal bleeding. We have developed and refined an effective technique and protocol for placing an indwelling urinary bladder catheter into an anesthetized rabbit.