Table 3.

Effect of acid gavage on electrolytes and blood gas in neonatal mouse and rat

	Mouse	Rat	P Value
HCO3−, meq/l
Control	19.5 ± 1.0	21.3 ± 0.2	<0.001
Acid	8.9 ± 0.6	11.2 ± 0.4
pH
Control	7.39 ± 0.02	7.45 ± 0.01	<0.001
Acid	7.15 ± 0.02	7.26 ± 0.02
Pco2, mmHg
Control	32.5 ± 2.2	30.5 ± 0.4	0.005
Acid	24.8 ± 1.2	24.5 ± 0.8
Na+, meq/l
Control	153 ± 1	142 ± 1	NS
Acid	151 ± 2	111 ± 1
K+, meq/l
Control	3.1 ± 0.1	3.7 ± 0.1	<0.001 for mouse
Acid	4.6 ± 0.2	4.2 ± 0.2	NS for rat
Cl−, meq/l
Control	127 ± 2	116 ± 1	<0.001
Acid	139 ± 2	122 ± 1
BUN, mg/dl
Control	26 ± 2	15.1 ± 1	0.03 for mouse
Acid	35 ± 3	23.6 ± 1	0.001 for rat

Values are means ± SE. NS, not significant.