Hemodynamics, oxygen consumption and serum catecholamine changes in progressive, lethal peritonitis in the dog.

A progressive, lethal canine peritonitis model was developed using the intraperitoneal injection of previously processed, frozen human stool. Of 15 dogs with fecal contamination, seven died within 24 hours and eight died over two to nine days, with a mean of five days. The model was associated with an initial hyperdynamic state which became quite variable as sepsis progressed. The cardiac index in the septic dogs correlated directly with the arteriovenous oxygen content difference. Evidence of multiple system organ failure and a significant increase in norepinephrine levels was noted in the septic dogs. The serum catecholamine levels were inversely correlated with the systemic blood pressure but did not correlate with the systemic vascular resistance or the cardiac index. This implies a lack of responsiveness of resistance vessels or the heart to catecholamines in this severely septic dog model.