Retrospective Evaluation of Acid-Base Disorders in Dogs With Hyperlactatemia Using Traditional and Semiquantitative...

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Biochemistry
• Critical Care

Background:

• Hyperlactatemia is a common finding in critically ill dogs.
• Understanding the associated acid-base disorders is crucial for prognosis.
• Traditional methods may not fully elucidate complex acid-base disturbances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize acid-base disorders in dogs with hyperlactatemia using traditional and semiquantitative methods.
• To investigate the mechanisms driving hyperlactatemia.
• To determine the prognostic significance of metabolic acidosis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 3866 dogs with hyperlactatemia (>2 mmol/L).
• Traditional acid-base analysis performed on all dogs.
• Semiquantitative acid-base evaluation on 1755 dogs.
• Analysis of disease associations, hyperlactatemia mechanisms, and mortality.

Main Results:

• Gastrointestinal disorders and circulatory shock were common causes of hyperlactatemia.
• Acid-base abnormalities were identified in 66.9% of dogs, with respiratory acidosis being frequent.
• Metabolic acidosis was present in 37.5% of dogs.
• Semiquantitative analysis revealed concurrent acidifying and alkalizing effects in 70.7% of dogs, with unmeasured anions being a frequent cause.
• Metabolic acidosis and type A hyperlactatemia were associated with significantly higher mortality.

Conclusions:

• Acid-base disorders in hyperlactatemic dogs are frequent and complex.
• Semiquantitative analysis aids in understanding metabolic acid-base disorders.
• Metabolic acidosis is a significant negative prognostic indicator in these patients.