Thirst and Renal Excretion of Water and Electrolytes During Pyrogen Fever in Dogs

Abstract

Body temperature, water intake, urine output, sodium and potassium excretion, osmolal and free water clearance, plasma osmolality, sodium and potassium concentrations and osmotic thirst were examined in conscious dogs during pyrogen fever and compared to those found under control conditions. Arterial blood pressure and central venous pressure were also measured in some experiments. Administration of pyrogen produced transient but significant decreases in urine output and striking increases in the spontaneous water intake in some of the experiments in the phase of increasing fever. Arterial blood pressure decreased, whereas central venous pressure increased at this stage of fever. No significant changes in renal excretion of solutes and free water as well as sodium and potassium were found. Plasma osmolality and sodium concentration increased and potassium concentration decreased un- significantly both in control and pyrogen experiments. The main finding was that the thirst threshold to osmotic stimuli increased markedly during the phase of stabilized fever. It is suggested that the suppression of osmotic thirst observed during the phase of stabilized fever may be caused by significant increase in internal body temperature.