Intravenous administration of a polyionic solution containing 84 mEq/l of lactate resolves experimentally induced hyperchloraemic acidosis in horses.
Authors: Romão F T N M A, Pereira P F V, Flaiban K K M C, Dearo A C O, Fernandes T M, Lisbôa J A N
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Hyperchloraemic metabolic acidosis in horses can develop following severe dehydration, diarrhoea or prolonged fluid losses, yet treatment options remain limited in field settings where blood gas analysis may be unavailable. This experimental study evaluated whether a polyionic solution rich in lactate (84 mEq/l) could safely correct induced metabolic acidosis as an alternative to sodium bicarbonate, using five horses in a crossover design where acidosis was provoked twice—once left untreated as a control and once treated with the lactate-containing solution. The treated horses achieved full acid–base correction within the 5-hour infusion period, whereas untreated controls showed only gradual spontaneous recovery with residual acidosis persisting at 48 hours; critically, no adverse effects were observed during lactate solution administration. For practitioners, these findings suggest that metabolisable buffer solutions offer a viable and safer alternative for field management of metabolic acidosis when immediate laboratory confirmation is impractical, potentially reducing the risks associated with empirical sodium bicarbonate use and allowing prompt intervention during colic, sepsis or other metabolic emergencies.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Polyionic lactate solutions offer a practical alternative to sodium bicarbonate for treating metabolic acidosis in horses without requiring real-time blood gas analysis
- •Rapid correction of metabolic acidosis (within 5 hours) may reduce clinical complications associated with prolonged acidosis in field situations
- •The safety profile of L84 solution in this study supports its potential use in equine practice for managing induced or naturally occurring hyperchloraemic acidosis
Key Findings
- •L84 polyionic solution (84 mEq/l lactate) corrected induced hyperchloraemic metabolic acidosis within 5 hours of infusion
- •Untreated control horses showed only gradual correction with mild acidosis persisting at 48 hours
- •No adverse effects were observed with L84 solution administration at 100 ml/kg bwt over 5 hours
- •L84 solution effectively normalized blood pH, HCO3−, and base excess parameters compared to untreated controls