FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Clinical evaluation of blood lactate levels in equine colic.
Equine veterinary journal1976; 8(2); 49-54; doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1976.tb03289.x

Clinical evaluation of blood lactate levels in equine colic.

Abstract: Blood lactate levels were evaluated in 36 horses (43 cases) presented with colic. A correlation between increasing blood lactate levels and decreasing percentage survival has been shown. An appreciable anion gap was found in 7 of 10 cases analyzed in detail but in each case the entire gap could not be accounted for by lactate alone. Proposals are offered to account for the unmeasured anions. Blood lactate determination is suggested as a prognostic rather than a diagnostic aid for the equine practitioner and should be used to augment other clinical findings in the horse exhibiting colic.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 1976-04-01 PubMed ID: 4300DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1976.tb03289.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research study revolves around the examination of blood lactate levels in horses suffering from colic, indicating a negative correlation between increasing lactate levels and horse survival rates. The study further discusses the potential factors contributing to these observed anion gaps, recommending blood lactate evaluation as a tool for forecasting rather than diagnosing colic in horses.

Research Details and Findings

  • The research examined the blood lactate levels in 36 horses, which comprised a total of 43 cases. These horses were all presented with colic, a type of digestive disorder commonly seen in equines.
  • A correlation was observed between the blood lactate levels and the percentage survival of the horses. As the blood lactate levels increased, the survival percentage of horses decreased, displaying a clear negative correlation.
  • The research also aimed to understand the anion gap – the difference between the measured cations (positively charged ions) and anions (negatively charged ions) in the horse’s blood. An appreciable anion gap was found in 7 out of 10 cases analyzed in detail. However, this entire anion gap could not be solely attributed to lactate.

Proposed Explanations

  • The research provides proposals to account for the unmeasured anions contributing to the observed anion gap. However, the details of these proposals and what these unmeasured anions could be are not outlined in this abstract.

Implications for Clinical Practice

  • The final takeaway from this research, as suggested by the author, is the use of blood lactate determination as a prognostic aid, rather than a diagnostic one. This means that blood lactate evaluation can be used by equine practitioners to help predict the likely course or outcome of colic in horses, rather than to diagnose the condition itself.
  • The researchers highlighted that blood lactate levels should be used to supplement other clinical findings when treating a horse that shows symptoms of colic, suggesting that a holistic approach may be more effective in managing the condition.

Cite This Article

APA
Moore JN, Owen RR, Lumsden JH. (1976). Clinical evaluation of blood lactate levels in equine colic. Equine Vet J, 8(2), 49-54. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1976.tb03289.x

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 0425-1644
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
Pages: 49-54

Researcher Affiliations

Moore, J N
    Owen, R R
      Lumsden, J H

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Colic / blood
        • Colic / veterinary
        • Horse Diseases / blood
        • Horses
        • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
        • Lactates / blood

        Citations

        This article has been cited 14 times.
        1. Farrell A, Kersh K, Liepman R, Dembek KA. Development of a Colic Scoring System to Predict Outcome in Horses. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:697589.
          doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.697589pubmed: 34692803google scholar: lookup
        2. Stefanovski D, Wilkins PA, Boston RC. Modeling Challenge Data to Quantify Endogenous Lactate Production. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021;12:656054.
          doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.656054pubmed: 34267726google scholar: lookup
        3. Orr KE, Baker WT, Lynch TM, Hughes FE, Clark CK, Slone DE Jr, Fogle CA, Gonzalez LM. Prognostic value of colonic and peripheral venous lactate measurements in horses with large colon volvulus. Vet Surg 2020 Apr;49(3):472-479.
          doi: 10.1111/vsu.13361pubmed: 31916608google scholar: lookup
        4. Roy MF, Kwong GP, Lambert J, Massie S, Lockhart S. Prognostic Value and Development of a Scoring System in Horses With Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2017 Mar;31(2):582-592.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.14670pubmed: 28207163google scholar: lookup
        5. Murakami T, Nakao S, Sato Y, Nakada S, Sato A, Mukai S, Kobayashi M, Yamada Y, Kawakami E. Blood lactate concentration as diagnostic predictors of uterine necrosis and its outcome in dairy cows with uterine torsion. J Vet Med Sci 2017 Mar 18;79(3):513-516.
          doi: 10.1292/jvms.16-0203pubmed: 28163266google scholar: lookup
        6. Mizen K, Woodman J, Boysen SR, Wagg C, Greco-Otto P, Léguillette R, Roy MF. Effect of Dexamethasone on Resting Blood Lactate Concentrations in Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2017 Jan;31(1):164-169.
          doi: 10.1111/jvim.14630pubmed: 28019037google scholar: lookup
        7. Edner AH, Essén-Gustavsson B, Nyman GC. Metabolism during anaesthesia and recovery in colic and healthy horses: a microdialysis study. Acta Vet Scand 2009 Mar 10;51(1):10.
          doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-51-10pubmed: 19284560google scholar: lookup
        8. Edner AH, Nyman GC, Essén-Gustavsson B. Metabolism before, during and after anaesthesia in colic and healthy horses. Acta Vet Scand 2007 Nov 15;49(1):34.
          doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-49-34pubmed: 18001483google scholar: lookup
        9. Thorneloe C, Bédard C, Boysen S. Evaluation of a hand-held lactate analyzer in dogs. Can Vet J 2007 Mar;48(3):283-8.
          pubmed: 17436905
        10. Nappert G, Johnson PJ. Determination of the acid-base status in 50 horses admitted with colic between December 1998 and May 1999. Can Vet J 2001 Sep;42(9):703-7.
          pubmed: 11565369
        11. Moore RM, Muir WW, Rush BR. Systemic and colonic venous plasma biochemical alterations in horses during low-flow ischemia and reperfusion of the large colon. Can J Vet Res 1998 Jan;62(1):14-20.
          pubmed: 9442934
        12. Burrows GE. Dose-response of ponies to parenteral Escherichia coli endotoxin. Can J Comp Med 1981 Apr;45(2):207-10.
          pubmed: 7020894
        13. Reeves MJ, Curtis CR, Salman MD, Hilbert BJ. Prognosis in equine colic patients using multivariable analysis. Can J Vet Res 1989 Jan;53(1):87-94.
          pubmed: 2914230
        14. Pascoe PJ, Ducharme NG, Ducharme GR, Lumsden JH. A computer-derived protocol using recursive partitioning to aid in estimating prognosis of horses with abdominal pain in referral hospitals. Can J Vet Res 1990 Jun;54(3):373-8.
          pubmed: 2199007
        Subscribe to our newsletter
        Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.