[Jacob-list] Ketosis Page

[Thomas Simmons]

>Just ONE thought for the experts. When I was pregnant with my first child I
>was diagnosed with ketosis due to DEHYDRATION. Is there any similar
>connection with sheep?>Melanie

Hope you'll accept a comment from a non-expert :-)

Ketosis - in BOTH sheep and humans - occurs when there are not enough
nutrients in the body to "feed it."  The body, realizing its hungry, breaks
down fat cells, and ketones are a poisonous by-product.  Thus, when a
diabetic does not have enough insulin to utilize the food he's eaten, his
body may have the same reaction; also, someone seeking to lose too much
weight too soon will have the same reaction.

When ketones are formed, they are toxic in direct proportion to the
"percentage" of ketones in the system.  Normally, a well-hydrated system
will try to pass the ketones in the urine.  If you are dehydrated, you have
a double-whammy:  first, you urinate less frequently, and therefore ketones
build up faster than you can get rid of them; and second, the percentage of
ketones are higher, quicker, because there's less water in the system to
"water them down."

Having said that, I don't *know for sure* when it comes to sheep, but I'm
willing to bet that it is. (See, I said I*wasn't* the expert :-))

thom