Emergency and Critical Care

90th FVMA Annual Conference

Measuring Lactate in the ER – Why Do We Care?

Speaker(s)

• 

  Lauren Harris, DVM, DACVECC

  Medical Director and Staff Criticalist
  BluePearl Veterinary Partners - Clearwater, Florida

An increase in plasma lactate is a late indicator of tissue hypoperfusion. Measurement of plasma lactate should be considered as part of a minimum database in any emergent small animal patient — this presentation is meant to show you why. After a short review of lactate physiology, etiologies of hyperlactatemia in disease states will be reviewed with a focus on the clinical use of lactate measurement.