Water deprivation-sodium chloride intoxication in a group of feeder lambs

Six of a group of 100 feeder lambs that had been deprived of sodium chloride, then more recently deprived of water, developed water deprivation-sodium chloride intoxication soon after water and a mineral supplement containing sodium chloride were reintroduced. The clinical signs included somnolence, intense thirst, and generalized muscle fasciculations. Serum chemical analyses revealed profound hypernatremia and hyperchloremia. Two mildly affected lambs recovered with partial water restriction and 2 severely affected lambs died despite medication to reduce cerebral edema. Postmortem examination of the 2 treated lambs and the 2 lambs found dead revealed microscopic evidence of cerebral edema and cerebrocorticonecrosis.