Opinions on Greyhound Diuretics are wide and varied Most common are Potassium Citrate - Potassium Acetate - Sodium Acetate (The use of a Diuretic is generally recommended when Sodium Chloride is used as preservative in Kibble Diets as well as Kibble and Meat Diets (High in Protein) as it places increased workload on Kidneys & Liver evident with dark yellow urine. Diets with low Carbohydrate and Fatty Acid can lead to Acidosis as a result of muscle fatigue.) Carbohydrate and Fatty Acid (Omega Oil) provide the necessary muscle energy fuel for the Racing Greyhound. The role of Protein is to build strength and fibre to the muscle in Racing Greyhounds. Potassium Citrate is rapidly absorbed when given by mouth and is excreted in the urine. Since it is an alkaline salt it is effective in reducing the pain and frequency of urination when these are caused by highly acidic urine. It is used for this purpose in dogs and cats, but is chiefly employed as a non-irritating diuretic. Potassium citrate is an effective way to treat/manage gout[4] and arrhythmia[medical citation needed], if the patient is hypokalemic. It is widely used to treat urinary calculi (kidney stones) and is often used by patients with cystinuria.[medical citation needed] A study of 500 patients with recurrent stones found that it reduced the frequency of stones from 2 per year to a half per year. It is also used as an alkanizing agent in the treatment of mild urinary tract infections such as cystitis. It is also used in many soft drinks as a buffering agent. Potassium Acetate: Medicine and biochemistry In medicine, potassium acetate is used as part of replacement protocols in the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis because of its ability to break down into bicarbonate and help neutralize the acidotic state. Sodium Acetate: Buffer solution As the conjugate base of acetic acid, a solution of sodium acetate and acetic acid can act as a buffer to keep a relatively constant pH level. This is useful especially in biochemical applications where reactions are pH-dependent in a mildly acidic range (pH 4-6). ***NB. Sodium Acid Citrate is the sole ingredient commonly used as a Diuretic for Horses - As Potassium is not present, Greyhound Trainers need to be mindful that the flushing of Electrolyte Body salts will be severe. The necessity to replenish Electrolytes is of utmost importance after the use of these products.
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