Hemodialysis adequacy was studied in four groups with six horses in each: the treatments: group I animals were submitted to unilateral central venous catheter (control group); group II animals were submitted to unilateral central venous double lumen catheter and one six-hour session of hemodialysis; group III horses were submitted to unilateral central venous double lumen catheter and to two six-hour session of hemodialysis, and group IV horses were submitted to bilateral central venous mono lumen catheter and to one six-hour session of hemodialysis. Xilazine 10% (0.4mg/kg) and acepromazine 2% (0.008 mg/kg) were iv administrated for sedation. Two hollow fiber, 1.8m² low flux polyssulfone hemodialysis apparatus were used in a connected serie. The mean blood flux was 319.18±97.41ml/min with a dialisate flux of 500ml/min. Anticoagulation was performed with sodium heparin, 100UI/kg for priming at the dose of 53.86±18.61UI/kg/h. Anticoagulation monitoring was performed by clotting time, protrombin time, tromboplastin activated time, and platelet number. Decrease in platelet number was detected in groups submitted to dialysis. The best vascular access was performed with double lumen catheter and the hemodialysis may be used in equine practice, with high performance dialyze used in six- hour session.
equine; hemodialysis; dialysis; anticoagulation
