Effects of Prednisone on Blood Lactate Concentrations in Healthy Dogs

Background Glucocorticoids affect carbohydrate and lactate metabolism. Hypothesis Administration of prednisone to healthy dogs will result in clinically relevant hyperlactatemia. Animals Twelve healthy adult Beagle dogs. Methods Prospective, controlled experimental study. Twelve healthy adult Beagles were divided into 2 groups (3 of each sex per group). One group served as control. The other group received 2 treatments: low, 1 mg/kg prednisone PO q24h for 2 weeks; high, 4 mg/kg prednisone PO q24h for 2 weeks. A washout period of 6 weeks separated the treatments. Blood samples were drawn for whole blood lactate measurement on day (D) 0, D4, and D14 and measured in duplicate. Results Compared with the control group, low and high groups had significantly higher blood lactate concentrations at D4 and D14. There was no difference at D0. There was no effect of time within the control group. In the low and high groups, blood lactate concentration was increased at D4 and D14 versus D0. Blood lactate concentration was greater in the high group than the low group at D14 only. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Dogs treated with prednisone experience statistically significant increases in blood lactate concentrations, which can result in type B hyperlactatemia. In such cases, improving tissue perfusion, treatment for the commonest form of hyperlactatemia (type A) would be unnecessary.