Clinical and laboratory evaluation in horses submitted to intracecal fluid therapy administered in two different rates.

Introduction: Two routes of administration for electrolyte solutions are commonly used in horses with fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base imbalances: intravenous and nasogastric. Despite the frequent use of these routes, there are situations in which they cannot be applied. In such cases, intracecal fluid therapy represents a viable alternative, as this route enables the administration of enteral electrolyte solutions even in animals lacking normal anterior gastrointestinal function. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a neutral hypotonic enteral electrolyte solution administered intracecally at two different infusion rates in horses experimentally subjected to a 24-h fasting period. Methods: This study employed a crossover design in which six experimentally dehydrated horses underwent two treatments: Treat10 (10 mL kg Results: During the fluid therapy phase in animals from both groups, a progressive decrease in serum urea and potassium concentrations was recorded. A decrease in urinary specific gravity, urea and creatinine was also detected during the same period. Conclusion: Intracecal administration of electrolyte solutions at rates of 10 mL (Treat10) and 15 mL (Treat15) over 12 h was effective and safe. The electrolyte solution used did not cause significant alterations in electrolyte or acid-base balance, suggesting that its composition is appropriate.