Fluid Therapy Flashcards
Where is water found in the body?
40% intracellular fluid (ICF)
20% extracellular fluid (ECF)
15% interstitial fluid
5% plasma
<1% transcellular - cerebrospinal and synovial joint fluid
Ways of fluid intake?
Drinking
Food
Metabolism (fat breakdown 10% max)
What of fluid output?
Respiration - insensible
Urine - sensible
Faeces - sensible
Skin - insensible
What are sensible loses?
When the body can adjust the fluid loss to conserve or get rid of fluid.
30-40ml/kg/day
What are insensible loses?
When the body cannot adjust the losses.
10-20ml/kg/day
Can sometimes increase amount of loss (i.e., infection) but not decrease
What is the maintenance amount of fluid required daily?
40-60ml/kg/day
Average of 50ml/kg/day
What is dehydration?
Where an animal has a problem balancing the input and output of fluid from the body.
Initially fluid is lost primarily from the blood.
What is fluid concentration?
Concentration or tonicity of fluid is determined by the amount of substances contained in the fluid (solution).
What do the terms ‘solution’, ‘solute’, and ‘solvent’ mean?
Solution - a solute dissolved within a solvent.
Solute - the solid portion of a solution.
Solvent - the liquid portion of a solution.
What do the terms ‘isotonic’, ‘hypertonic’, and ‘hypotonic’ mean?
Isotonic - concentration (osmotic pressure) equal to plasma.
Hypertonic - concentration (osmotic pressure) higher than plasma.
Hypotonic - concentration (osmotic pressure) lower than plasma.
What are electrolytes and what are the benefits?
The combination of ions to form a substance that will break down in water.
- help maintain an acid base status
- provide osmotic pressure and regulate the movement of water
How would you assess a patients hydration status?
Clinical examination - skin tenting? well/unwell? overall?
Urine testing - passing normal amounts of urine? specific gravity in normal range?
Blood testing - packed cell volume within normal range?
What is normal urine output?
1-2ml/kg/hr
or
24-48ml/kg/day
What is normal specific gravity for a cat and dog?
Cat - 1.035 - 1.060
Dog - 1.015 - 1.045
Higher = dehydration
What are normal PCV levels in blood testing?
Cat - 24-45%
Dog - 37-55%
Increase in PCV may indicate dehydration.
Decrease in PCV may indicate anaemia or haemorrhage.
What is the normal body pH?
7.4
What is pH?
The degree to which blood is alkaline or acidic.
What is metabolic acidosis?
Where an acid state in the body occurs due to altered metabolism - unable to excreted acid or is losing excess alkali.
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
- renal failure
- shock
What is metabolic alkalosis?
Where an alkaline state in the body occurs due to altered metabolism - loosing excess acid.
- vomiting stomach contents only
- over administration of bicarbonate
What is respiratory acidosis?
Where an acid state in the body occurs when respiratory system cannot excrete acid.
- respiratory obstruction
- acute respiratory failure
- hypoventilation for any reason
- anaesthetic problems
What is respiratory alkalosis?
Where an alkaline state in the body occurs when respiratory system looses excess acid.
- hyperventilation
- pain, stress
- hyperthermia
- excessive IPPV
What are the 3 categories of fluid solutions?
Crystalloids - solution containing water and electrolytes.
Colloids - solution containing large molecules: plasma expanders.
Blood/blood products.
What are crystalloids?
Used to rectify fluid and electrolyte loss.
Balance abnormal body pH.
What are colloids?
Contain large molecules - create fluid shift from ICF to plasma.
Expand plasma volume.
Do not provide any O2 carrying capacity – consider concurrent O2 administration
Divided into the categories of synthetic and natural
