Causes
- Decreased intake.
- The animal is disinclined or unabled to drink.
- May be due to general debility or because of obstruction to the mouth/throuat by disease lesions.
- Deprivation of water.
- Animal loses access to its water supply.
- Increased uncontrolled physiological loss
- For example, due to hyperventilation, excessive sweating, or polyuria due to renal disease.
Effects
- Electrolytes are not depleted, although water is.
- There is therefore an increase in osmolality of the extracellular fluid.
- Intracellular water is transferred to ECF, resulting in cellular dehydration results.
- Cellular dehydration particularly affects the CNS and heart.