Serial blood lactate concentrations in systemically ill dogs

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Critical Care
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Lactate concentration is commonly measured in critically ill dogs but interpreted using human data.
• No prior clinical studies have validated serial lactate measurements as a prognostic tool in ill dogs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate the association between serial lactate concentrations and outcome in ill dogs requiring intravenous fluid therapy.
• To utilize multivariate analysis to identify prognostic factors for survival in sick dogs.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study involving 80 ill dogs.
• Lactate concentrations measured at 0 and 6 hours post-treatment initiation using a plasma analyzer.
• Multivariate analysis of lactate levels, age, body weight, gender, and illness severity to determine effects on outcome.

Main Results:

• Dogs with lactate concentrations above the reference interval at 6 hours had a 16-fold increased risk of non-survival (P <.01).
• Initial lactate levels (0 hours) were not significantly related to outcome.
• Failure of hyperlactatemia to improve by ≥50% within 6 hours was significantly associated with mortality (P = .024).

Conclusions:

• Elevated lactate concentration at 6 hours post-treatment is a significant predictor of non-survival in ill dogs.
• Serial lactate monitoring is crucial for assessing prognosis in critically ill canine patients.
• Findings support the use of serial lactate measurements for improved patient management and outcome prediction in veterinary critical care.