Acidotic effect of gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) venom in the urethane-anaesthetized rat.

1. Intravenous venom (4 mg/kg) caused a non-compensated metabolic acidosis. 2. Bicarbonate concentration, base excess, standard base excess and pH all fell dramatically. 3. A respiratory impairment occurred characterized by pulmonary oedema and a fall in arterial pO2. 4. Acidosis occurred soon after venom when pO2 was still normal, indicating that changes in tissue metabolism contributed to the acidosis independently of reduced oxygen availability.