Investigation of plasma lactate concentration in different dogs

In many clinical situations, the importance of determining the level of lactate is emphasized, while the effect of type and severity of anemia on plasma lactate concentration in anemic conditions is not fully known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of type and severity of anemia on plasma lactate concentrations in dogs with anemia. A total of 48 dogs (36 anemic, 12 healthy) of different breeds, ages and both sexes were included in the study. Dogs with anemia were classified according to the severity and type of anemia. Hematologic evaluations included RBC, HGB, HCT and MCV measurements. Plasma lactate concentrations were colorometrically tested on a point of care analyzer. Plasma lactate levels were significantly higher in dogs with anemia than healthy dogs (p<0,05). Plasma lactate levels were significantly higher in dogs with severe anemia than in healthy dogs (p<0.05). Plasma lactate concentrations of dogs with regenerative anemia were significantly higher than healthy dogs (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between regenerative and nonregenerative anemia groups for plasma lactate levels. In this study, it was concluded that the type and severity of anemia in dogs may have an effect on plasma lactate concentration and that these data could be used as a reference for conducting more comprehensive studies in dogs in the future. Key words: Anemia, dogs, lactate.