Elisa M. Mazzaferro, MS, DVM, PhD, DACVECC

Rapid stabilization, surgical intervention, and intensive postoperative care are key to successful GDV management.

Lactated Ringer's solution isn't always the safest choice for fluid therapy. In fact, administering the right fluid, whether a crystalloid, a colloid, or both, is essential to ensuring a correct fluid balance without causing adverse effects that can worsen a patient's condition. This article will help you assess each patient's status and choose the best fluid therapy option.

Patients with congestive heart failure are, unfortunately, common in small-animal practice. Some patients present with acute exacerbation of previously diagnosed and treated cardiac disease. Other animals may present with vague and nonspecific clinical signs and have no known history of cardiac problems.