Floppy Kid Syndrome Caused by D‐Lactic Acidosis in Goat Kids

Abstract

Background: Goat kids with floppy kid syndrome have metabolic acidosis, muscle weakness, and depression but no dehydration. Hypothesis: D‐Lactate is the major component of acidemia in goat kids with floppy kid syndrome. Animals: Fifty‐five goat kids with floppy kid syndrome (group F) and 35 clinically healthy goat kids (group C). Methods: Clinical, biochemical, microbiologic, virologic, parasitologic, and pathologic examinations. Results: The animals in group F had a blood pH of 7.13 ± 0.11 and a base excess of ‐17.8 ± 3.8 mM, which were both lower than the values in the control animals (pH, 7.32 ± 0.31; base excess, ‐0.1 ± 2.7 mM; P < .001). Floppy kids had a significantly larger anion gap than healthy kids (31.2 ± 3.7 versus 21.5 ± 8.5 mM; P < .001). The concentration of L‐lactate was lower in floppy kids than in healthy kids (0.67 ± 0.49 versus 1.60 ± 1.02 mM), but the concentration of D‐lactate was higher in floppy kids (7.43 ± 2.71 versus 0.26 ± 0.24 mM; P < .001). Intravenous and oral administration of sodium bicarbonate in floppy kids resulted in a significant increase in blood pH and base excess and a decrease in the anion gap (P < .001). In addition, the concentration of L‐lactate increased (P= .039). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Metabolic acidosis in goat kids with floppy kid syndrome is caused by an increase in the plasma concentration of D‐lactate.