Comprehensive Small Animal Veterinary Fluid Therapy Assistant
Based on Small Animal Fluid Therapy (Edward Cooper) and AAHA (2024) Guidelines
⚡ Shock
💧 Dehydration
🐾 Pediatrics
🧠 TBI
ℹ️ About Us
📋 Patient Information
⚠️ Please enter a valid weight.
💡 Weight under 1 kg — if this is a pediatric patient, please use the Pediatrics tab.
💡 Note: A weight over 8 kg is unusual for a cat; are you sure it's a cat?
17.5
20
⚙️ Settings
4.5
7
📊 Results (Based on Isotonic Fluids)
Volume of this Bolus:175 ml
Total Cumulative Volume:175 ml
Rate:8.75 ml/min
Hourly Rate:525 ml/h
Drops/min:131
Drop Interval:458 ms
Volume per 1 min / 30 s:8.75/4.38 ml
💡 For when counting drops isn't possible — titrate using the reservoir graduations.
🌊 Continuous stream — too fast for countable drops
22G
🐶
🎯 Bolus Response Endpoints
Desired Response: Normal HR, Pink MM, CRT < 2s, MAP > 70 mmHg, Decreasing Lactate, Urine Output > 1 ml/kg/h Lack of Response: If more than 3 boluses are needed, consider other causes: active bleeding, sepsis, cardiac dysfunction, hormonal (Addison's), anaphylaxis. Cats: Due to the risk of fluid overload, stop after 2 boluses and evaluate temperature/ear/paw pressure.
📋 Patient Information
⚠️ Please enter a valid weight.
💡 Weight under 1 kg — if this is a pediatric patient, please use the Pediatrics tab.
💡 Note: A weight over 8 kg is unusual for a cat; are you sure it's a cat?
7
Moderate
🔄 Phase 1: Hypovolemic Shock Treatment
(Fill this only if the case had hypovolemic shock and you have initiated treatment)
💧 Phase 2: Deficit Replacement
12
Acute or Severe: 4-8h | Moderate: 8-12h | Chronic/Stable: 24h
🟢 Phase 3: Maintenance
24
By definition of maintenance fluids, this is always 24 hours.
Allometric (Dog): 132 × BW0.75
📉 Ongoing Abnormal Losses
⚙️ Settings
0.5
0.5
1.5
4
📊 Treatment Plan
🌊 Continuous stream — too fast for countable drops
22G
🐶
This animation is for Phase 2: Deficit Replacement.
📋 Clinical Evaluation of Dehydration Percentage
< 5%: Clinically undetectable, based on history only 5-6%: Mild loss of skin elasticity, moist but slightly tacky mucous membranes 6-8%: Obvious skin tent, dry mucous membranes, slightly prolonged CRT (2s) 8-10%: Persistent skin tent, very dry mucous membranes, sunken eyes, CRT > 2s, onset of tachycardia in dogs and bradycardia in cats 10-12%: Signs of shock: weak pulse, cold extremities, altered mentation > 12%: Severe shock, life-threatening
📋 Patient Information
⚠️ Please enter a valid weight.
⚠️ Warning: Fluids must be warmed prior to administration.
3.5
20
0.5
💡 Note: Estimating and correcting dehydration in pediatric patients is much more difficult due to the unreliability of skin turgor, mucous membranes, etc. Crystalloid doses for correcting dehydration may be adjusted to 60-180 ml/kg/day with continuous monitoring and reassessment.
📊 Calculations
🌊 Continuous stream — too fast for countable drops
24G
🐶
📋 Patient Information
⚠️ Please enter a valid weight.
📊 Treatment Plan
🌊 Continuous stream — too fast for countable drops
22G
🐶
🧠 Clinical Management Notes for TBI:
• Head Position: Elevate the patient's head 15-30 degrees above the body (without bending the neck) to facilitate cerebral venous drainage.
• Jugular Vein Precaution: Avoid jugular venipuncture and circumferential neck compression (bandages, leads), as these impair cerebral venous drainage and may critically elevate ICP.
• Oxygen and Ventilation: Maintaining SpO2 > 95% is critical. Hypercapnia causes cerebrovascular dilation and worsens cerebral edema.
ℹ️ About Us
For suggestions and bug reports, please feel free to reach out via the following IDs:
2024 AAHA Fluid Therapy Guidelines for Dogs and Cats
Small Animal Fluid Therapy — Cooper et al. (CABI, 2022)
This site is strictly a "computational assistant" designed to facilitate and accelerate fluid therapy calculations and emergency dose adjustments for veterinarians and veterinary students. The results, volumes, and rates provided in this application are by no means a substitute for careful examination, clinical judgment, and the final decision of the attending veterinarian.
💧 Choosing a Replacement (Deficit) Fluid
Isotonic crystalloids — choose based on acid–base and electrolyte status
🟢 Lactated Ringer's (LRS) — default choice
Closest to plasma; suitable for most cases. ✔ Best in metabolic acidosis (lactate is converted to bicarbonate). — acidosis often follows: diarrhea, shock/hypoperfusion, kidney failure ✔ Preferred in hyperkalemia (corrects acidosis, shifting potassium into cells; its low potassium dilutes the serum). — hyperkalemia often follows: urinary obstruction, acute kidney injury/oliguria, Addison's ✘ Avoid in hypercalcemia (it contains calcium). — hypercalcemia often follows: certain cancers, vitamin D toxicity ✘ Avoid in severe liver failure (the liver can't clear lactate; an acetate-buffered solution is better). ✘ Don't run through one line with citrated blood (calcium triggers clotting).
🔵 Normal Saline 0.9% (NaCl)
Unbalanced; contains only sodium and chloride. ✔ In hyperkalemia with hyponatremia (e.g., Addison's; replaces sodium). ✘ Avoid in oliguria/AKI (chloride load, reduced GFR). ✔ In hypercalcemia (calcium-free). ✔ In hypochloremic alkalosis (chloride loss). — often follows: repeated vomiting of gastric contents ✔ In severe hyponatremia (correct slowly, with monitoring). ✘ Avoid in metabolic acidosis (it causes hyperchloremic acidosis itself). ✘ Avoid in heart disease or hypernatremia (high sodium load).
🟡 Acetate-buffered solutions (Plasma-Lyte / Normosol-R)✔ Excellent LRS alternative, especially in liver failure (acetate is metabolized in muscle, independent of the liver). ℹ️ Often unavailable in some regions.
⚠️ "Plain Ringer's" (without lactate) has no buffer and a high chloride load; like saline it can cause acidosis and is not equivalent to Lactated Ringer's.
💧 Choosing a Maintenance Fluid
A maintenance fluid should have lower sodium and higher potassium than replacement fluids (daily needs: low sodium, high potassium)
🟢 Lactated Ringer's (isotonic) + added KCl✔ Practical, safe choice for most patients; current evidence favors isotonic fluids to lower the risk of hyponatremia. ✔ Add 2.5–5% dextrose if energy is needed (neonates, prolonged anorexia, hypoglycemia risk).
🔵 Dedicated maintenance fluid (Normosol-M / Plasma-Lyte 56)
Low sodium, high potassium — matches physiologic daily needs. ⚠️ It is hypotonic; prolonged unmonitored use risks hyponatremia. ℹ️ Often unavailable in some regions.
⚠️ Cautions
• A replacement fluid used long-term as maintenance without added potassium → risk of hypokalemia (the reason we add KCl).
• Half-saline + dextrose is also a maintenance option, but it is hypotonic and long-term risks hyponatremia.
• Monitor sodium and potassium (at least every 24 h): hypotonic → watch for hyponatremia; isotonic → watch for hypernatremia and volume overload.
• Stop IV maintenance once the patient eats and drinks adequately.