Association between outcome and changes in plasma lactate concentration during presurgical treatment in dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus: 64 cases (2002-2008).

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether changes in presurgical plasma lactate concentration (before and after initial fluid resuscitation and gastric decompression) were associated with short-term outcome for dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV).
DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 64 dogs. PROCEDURES: Medical records were reviewed, and signalment, history, resuscitative treatments, serial presurgical lactate concentrations, surgical findings, and short-term outcome were obtained for dogs with confirmed GDV.
RESULTS: 36 of 40 (90%) dogs with an initial lactate concentration <or= 9.0 mmol/L survived, compared with only 13 of 24 (54%) dogs with a high initial lactate (HIL) concentration (> 9.0 mmol/L). Within HIL dogs, there was no difference in mean +/- SD initial lactate concentration between survivors and nonsurvivors (10.6 +/- 2.3 mmol/L vs 11.2 +/- 2.3 mmol/L, respectively); however, there were significant differences in post-treatment lactate concentration, absolute change in lactate concentration, and percentage change in lactate concentration following resuscitative treatment. By use of optimal cutoff values within HIL dogs, survival rates for dogs with final lactate concentration > 6.4 mmol/L (23%), absolute change in lactate concentration <or= 4 mmol/L (10%), or percentage change in lactate concentration <or= 42.5% (15%) were significantly lower than survival rates for dogs with a final lactate concentration <or= 6.4 mmol/L (91%), absolute change in lactate concentration > 4 mmol/L (86%), or percentage change in lactate concentration > 42.5% (100%). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Calculating changes in plasma lactate concentration following initial treatment in dogs with GDV may assist in determining prognosis and identifying patients that require more aggressive treatment.