In a healthy animal, diminished water intake or loss of water would result in ---- urine specific gravity.

In a healthy animal, diminished water intake or loss of water would result in ---- urine specific gravity.

• A. Increased
• B. Decreased
• C. Isosthenuric
• D. Isotonic

Answer: (A)

When water becomes scarce, the body pulls more water back from the urine. The kidneys respond to dehydration by releasing antidiuretic hormone, which makes the collecting ducts more permeable to water. More water is reabsorbed into the bloodstream, urine output drops, and the urine becomes more concentrated. That increased concentration shows up as a higher urine specific gravity. So diminished water intake or loss of water drives the urine SG up in a healthy animal. If the urine could not concentrate (isosthenuric) or remained similar in osmolarity to plasma (isotonic), that would indicate something abnormal rather than a normal dehydrated state. A dilute urine (decreased SG) would occur with overhydration rather than with dehydration.

When water becomes scarce, the body pulls more water back from the urine. The kidneys respond to dehydration by releasing antidiuretic hormone, which makes the collecting ducts more permeable to water. More water is reabsorbed into the bloodstream, urine output drops, and the urine becomes more concentrated. That increased concentration shows up as a higher urine specific gravity. So diminished water intake or loss of water drives the urine SG up in a healthy animal. If the urine could not concentrate (isosthenuric) or remained similar in osmolarity to plasma (isotonic), that would indicate something abnormal rather than a normal dehydrated state. A dilute urine (decreased SG) would occur with overhydration rather than with dehydration.