VLD 411: Veterinary Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnosis - I (0+1)

KETONE BODIES

• Ketone bodies are acetoacetic acid, beta-hydroxy butyric acid and acetone. They are not normally present in the urine. But, when fat metabolism is impaired, ketone bodies accumulate in the body, giving rise to ketonaemia and then ketonuria results.

Rothera’s test (Click here for animation)

• Take a little amount of ammonium sulphate in a test tube
• Add 5 ml of urine and agitate
• Add 2 drops of freshly prepared 5 per cent sodium nitroprusside solution
• Shake the solution
• Add 2ml of concentrated ammonium hydroxide to form a layer above the mixture
• Development of permanganate colour is positive for ketone bodies

Ketonuria

• Ketosis (acetonaemia)
• Diabetes mellitus associated with a hyperglycaemia
• Acidosis
• High fat diet
• Starvation or fasting
• Impaired liver function
• Milk fever
• Hyperfunction of the anterior pituitary or adrenal cortex, excess of female sex hormones