Effect of a commercial anionic dietary supplement on urinary pH and concentrations of electrolytes and pH in blood of horses

ABSTRACT

Aims: To compare urine urinary pH, blood pH and concentration of electrolytes in blood of healthy horses fed an anionic salt supplement to achieve diets with a dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) of −40 or 0 mEq/kg DM, with horses a fed a diet with a DCAD of 85 mEq/kg DM.

Methods: Eight healthy horses received each of three diets in a randomised crossover design. Diets consisted of grass hay and concentrate feed, with a varying amount of an anionic supplement to achieve a DCAD of 85 (control), 0 or −40 mEq/kg DM. They were fed for 14 days each with a washout period of 7 days between. Urine pH was measured daily and blood samples were collected on Days 0, 7 and 14 of each study period for the measurement of pH and concentration of electrolytes.

Results: Four horses voluntarily consumed the anionic supplement with their feed, but four horses required oral supplement administration via dose syringe. During the study period mean urine pH was lower in horses fed diets with a DCAD of 0 (6.91; SD 0.04) and −40 (6.83; SD 0.04) mEq/kg DM compared to the control diet (7.30; SD 0.04). Compared with horses fed the control diet, mean urine pH was lower in horses fed the 0 and −40 mEq/kg DM diets on Days 1–12 and 14 (p < 0.05) of the study period. On Day 13 it was only lower in horses fed the −40 mEq/kg DM diet (p < 0.01). Urine pH was similar for horses fed the 0 and −40 mEq/kg DM diets (p = 0.151). The DCAD of the diet had no effect on blood pH, ionised Ca or anion gap. Mean concentrations of bicarbonate in blood were affected by diet (p = 0.049); they were lower when horses were fed the 0 mEq/kg diet relative to the control diet on Day 14.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: The anionic supplement reduced urine pH in horses fed diets with a DCAD of 0 or −40 mEq/kg DM compared with 85 mEq/kg DM. However as urinary pH did not fall below pH 6.5, the pH below which calcium carbonate uroliths do not form, this reduction in urine pH is unlikely to be clinically significant. The supplement was variably palatable and showed minimal promise as an effective urinary acidifier at the doses administered in this study.

KEYWORDS:

• Horse
• urolith
• urine acidification
• dietary cation–anion difference
• anionic supplement

Acknowledgements

This study was funded through grants from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine Fall Faculty Research Competition, the Merial Summer Scholars Program and West Central Cooperative. The anionic supplement was supplied by West Central Cooperative.

Notes

¹ https://doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2019.1655498