Blood lactate concentration in diabetic dogs

• Grant number: 11/21116-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2012
• End date: January 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Denise Saretta Schwartz
• Grantee: Denise Saretta Schwartz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common endocrine diseases in small animal medicine. Results from absolute or relative deficiency of insulin and may develop one of the most serious and frequent complication known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is characterized by metabolic abnormalities including hyperglycemia, metabolic acidosis, ketonemia, dehydration and electrolyte loss. Lactic acid production increases as soon as perfusion and oxygenation decrease. Lactic acid diffuses immediately to extracellular fluid and dissociates in hidrogen ion and lactate. Lactate measurement is an alternative approach to determine whether the tissues are receiving enough perfusion, because inappropriate perfusion and therefore, oxygenation is directly correlated with disease and death. Human patients with DKA and decompensated diabetes have high blood lactate concentration, in the same way, lactate is higher in stable type I diabetics than in normal individuals. Therefore, measurement of lactate may be important as a prognostic marker in the admission and monitoring patients with DM and DKA considering their prevalence in small animal internal medicine. The maily goal of this study is to determine blood lactate levels in the different presentation of DM, with the purpose of interpretation of results in situations that may be related to its changes. The hypothesis of this study is that blood lactate concentration in diabetic dogs under treatment and before treatment will be higher than control dogs, and dogs with DKA at diagnosis will have higher levels than non-ketotic diabetics. (AU)