Target species
Cattle, horses, dogs and cats.
Indications for use
This veterinary medicinal product is administered by intravenous infusion for the treatment of dehydration and metabolic acidosis in cattle, horses, dogs and cats. It may be used to correct volume depletion (hypovolaemia) resulting from gastrointestinal disease or shock.
Contraindications
Do not use in animals with:
- hyperkalaemia
- hypercalcaemia
- hypernatraemia
- hyperlactataemia
- hyperhydration
- metabolic alkalosis
- oedema (hepatic, renal, or cardiac)
- Addison's disease
Special precautions for use in animals
Do not use unless the solution is clear, free from visible particles, and the container is undamaged.
A risk of thrombosis with intravenous infusion should be considered.
Maintain aseptic precautions.
This veterinary medicinal product should be warmed to approximately 37°C prior to the administration of large volumes, or if the administration rate is high, in order to avoid hypothermia.
This veterinary medicinal product does not contain an antimicrobial preservative. It is intended for single use only and any unused contents should be discarded.
Use of this solution requires monitoring of the clinical and physiological status of the animal especially in cases of:
- severe renal impairment
- cardiac impairment
- sodium retention with oedema
- treatments with corticosteroids and their derivatives.
This veterinary medicinal product should be used with caution in animals with cardiac or renal impairment as sodium overload may occur. It should be noted that sodium excretion may be impaired post-surgery/trauma.
Monitor serum potassium and serum calcium in treated animals, particularly potassium levels in cases at risk of hyperkalaemia, such as during chronic renal failure.
In animals with hepatic impairment, the product may not produce its alkalising action since lactate metabolism may be altered.
Adverse reactions
Skin reactions (urticarial, eczema, skin lesions) and allergic oedema are very rarely observed.
The frequency of adverse reactions is defined using the following convention:
- very common (more than 1 in 10 animals displaying adverse reaction(s))
- common (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 100 animals treated)
- uncommon (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 1,000 animals treated)
- rare (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 10,000 animals treated)
- very rare (less than 1 animal in 10,000 animals treated, including isolated reports).
Use during pregnancy and lactation
The safety of the veterinary medicinal product has not been established during pregnancy and lactation. Use only according to the benefit/risk assessment by the responsible veterinarian.
Interactions
This veterinary medicinal product is incompatible with methylprednisolone, and sodium lactate or sodium bicarbonate intravenous infusions.
Interactions linked to calcium.
In case of concomitant blood transfusion, the product should not be administered with the blood in the same infusion set due to the risk of clotting. This veterinary medicinal product contains calcium. Do not add drugs to this solution that may bind (chelate) to calcium.
Amounts to be administered and administration route
Intravenous use.
The infusion should ideally be warmed to approximately 37°C prior to administration.
The volume and rate of infusion will depend upon the clinical condition, existing deficits of the animal, maintenance needs and continuing losses.
Generally aim to correct hypovolaemia by 50% initially (ideally over 6 hours but faster if necessary) and reassess by clinical examination.
Deficits are generally in the range of 50 ml/kg (mild) to 150 ml/kg (severe). An infusion rate of 15 ml/kg/hour is recommended in the absence of shock (range 5-75 ml/kg/hour).
In shock, high initial infusion rates, up to 90 ml/kg/hour, are needed. High infusion rates should not be continued for longer than 1 hour unless renal function and urine output are restored. The maximum infusion rate should be decreased in the presence of cardiac, renal and pulmonary disease.
Overdose
In the presence of volume overload signs (eg restlessness, moist lung sounds, tachycardia, tachypnoea, nasal discharge, coughing, vomiting and diarrhoea), treatment should involve administering diuretics and stopping the infusion. An excessive infusion of product may cause metabolic alkalosis due to the presence of lactate ions.
Withdrawal periods
Meat and offal: zero days.
Milk: zero hours.