Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
False high blood lactate in dogs with antifreeze poisoning
By Hopper, Kate & Epstein, Steven E·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2013·Department of Veterinary Surgical and Radiological Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Falsely increased plasma lactate concentration due to ethylene glycol poisoning in 2 dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs were brought to the vet after being poisoned by ethylene glycol, a substance found in antifreeze. They showed extremely high levels of plasma lactate, which is a sign of serious health issues, but further testing revealed that these readings were incorrect due to interference from the poison. This means that the machines used to measure lactate levels can sometimes give false results when ethylene glycol is involved. Recognizing this issue is important for getting the right diagnosis and treatment quickly.
People also search for: dog ethylene glycol poisoning symptoms · high lactate levels in dogs · antifreeze poisoning treatment for dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe false increases in plasma lactate concentration measured on point-of-care analyzers in 2 dogs with ethylene glycol (EG) intoxication. CASE SUMMARY: Two dogs presenting with EG intoxication had extreme increases of plasma lactate concentrations recorded on a point-of-care machine. Laboratory analysis by spectrophotometry of lactate concentration determined these lactate measurements to be erroneous. False increases in plasma lactate concentration were demonstrated in 2 out of 3 point-of-care machines tested. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: Glycolate, a toxic metabolite of EG, can interfere with the measurement of plasma lactate by some analyzers and this may delay the correct diagnosis of EG toxicity if not recognized.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23356706/