title: Lactate as a diagnostic test for septic peritoneal effusions in dogs and cats.
abstract: Lactate concentration in peritoneal fluid was evaluated and compared to blood lactate concentration in dogs and cats with septic and nonseptic abdominal effusions. All dogs with septic effusions had a peritoneal fluid lactate concentration >2.5 mmol/L and a peritoneal fluid lactate concentration higher than blood lactate, resulting in a negative blood to fluid lactate difference. In dogs, the diagnostic accuracy of the peritoneal fluid lactate concentration and the blood to fluid lactate difference in differentiating septic peritoneal effusion was 95% and 90%, respectively. Peritoneal fluid lactate concentration and blood to fluid lactate difference were not accurate tests for detecting septic peritoneal effusions in cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The E. & M. Bobst Hospital, The Animal Medical Center, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Garrett M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bonczynski
authors.forename: Lori L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.forename: Linda J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Loar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid