Plasma lactate measurements in healthy cats.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective was to determine if venous plasma lactate is affected by struggling during venipuncture in clinically normal, healthy cats. Additional objectives were to evaluate the effects of venipuncture site, age, sex, and time (0-24 h) on plasma lactate concentrations in healthy cats.

DESIGN

Prospective clinical study.

SETTING

Private veterinary referral center.

ANIMALS

Twenty-one healthy, privately owned, sexually altered, adult cats.

INTERVENTIONS

Blood was collected via jugular or medial saphenous venipuncture at the time of study entry and at 6 and 24 hours later.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

In healthy cats, there were no significant differences in lactate concentrations statified by degree of struggling at time 0 (P = 0.33), time 6 (P = 0.23), or at time 24 (P = 0.41), venipuncture site (P = 0.58), age (P = 0.62), sex (P = 0.06), or time (P = 0.13). Most cats had mild to moderate struggling scores. Venous plasma lactate concentrations for this group of healthy adult cats had a mean of 1.63 mmol/L; 95% CI: 1.34-1.92, SD: 0.62, and a minimum-maximum range of 0.37-2.81 mmol/L.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of mild to moderate struggling during venipuncture, venipuncture site, age, sex, and time did not affect plasma lactate concentrations in this group of healthy cats. Our results suggest that plasma lactate can be reliably measured in cats. Further studies are warranted in sick cats to determine if plasma lactate measurements can be utilized as a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker.