The participation of vasopressin and aldosterone in sheep stress reaction

Vasopressin (AVP) and aldosterone, (Ald) are the most important hormones regulating the body's water balance. It is well established that AVP activates he hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal gland axis (HPA) during stress, while aldosterone released from the adrenal gland may be partly stimulated by the HPA axis. The aim of this study was to determine the level of AVP and Ald in sheep blood plasma during stress (1h individual isolation of animals from their flock). The results of the experiment show that both hormone levels gradually increased right up to the end of sheep isolation. The obtained data demonstrate that the stress response also concerns endocrine mechanisms that control body water balance.