Serum Electrolytes Changes in Healthy Dogs Submitted to Dobutamine Stress Test

The aim of this study was to investigate hematologic and serum chemistry changes in healthy dogs subjected to conventional protocol of dobutamine stress test. The study was performed in ten healthy German Shepherd dogs. The dobutamine stress test was carried out as three minute stages protocol, from the starting dose of 7.5 μg/kg/min until the maximum dosage of 42.5 μg/kg/min. Blood samples were collected before and after the dobutamine stress test for complete blood count and chemistry analyses. Statistically significant changes of potassium concentration (p<0.05), sodium concentration (p<0.05) and chloride concentration (p<0.001) were registered after the dobutamine stress test. The registered changes could be explained by the dobutamine effects through β1 adrenergic receptors.