Investigation on effects of hypertonic sodium bicarbonate with and without lactated ringer’s solution on potassium compensation, rehydration status, endocrinal response and acide-base balance in calves with metabolic acidosis

Abstract

The study was carried out on a total of 40 calves. Twenty calves (n=20) which were treated with hypertonic sodium bicarbonate in physiological saline served as the Study Group. The remaining 20 calves, which were treated with sodium bicarbonate in physiological saline plus lactated Ringer’s solution, served as the Control Group. During the study, animals received fresh milk up to 10% of their body weight, but no antibiotics were used. All of the animals were tested for clinical findings such as temperature, pulsation and respiration rates, dehydration findings, hematological findings such as white blood cell, red blood cell, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, biochemical findings such as aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase, total protein, albumine, urea, creatinine, glucose, lactate and blood gas findings, such as total carbon dioxide, partial carbon dioxide and electrolytes such as potassium, sodium bicarbonate, chlorine and calcium along with base excess. All the measurements were taken before the study began and at the 1st, 3rd and 7th hours after the start of the study. The results of the study showed that metabolic acidosis in calves with diarrhea was treated more quickly with lactated Ringer’s solution than with physiological saline, although the hyperosmolality and hypernatremic states were corrected with both solutions. Consequently, lactated Ringer’s solution supplied a better clinical response than that of physiologic serum, and it is considered that practitioners should add it to fluid therapy for more rapid physiological correction of calves with metabolic acidosis.