Role of Fluid Therapy in Veterinary Medicine

Fluid therapy maintain fluids within the blood and body systems to help, balance and support normal body functions. The disease process that causes fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base disturbances must be diagnosed and treated appropriately. The role of fluid therapy in treatment is supportive. It is essential to know about the distribution of fluid and water in the body, to understand fluid therapy and its applications. Total body water (TBW) comprises approximately 60% of a patient’s body weight. Approximately 67% of TBW is found inside the body’s cells and is referred to as intracellular fluid (ICF). The remaining 33% of TBW is extracellular fluid (ECF). Interstitial fluid, which bathes cells and tissues (~24% of TBW). The Plasma, liquid portion of blood, which constitutes most of intravascular volume (~8%–10% of TBW). Transcellular fluid, which comprises synovial joint fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, bile, and the fluid in the linings of the peritoneal cavity, pericardium, and pleural space (~2% of TBW). A helpful rule of thumb to simplify the distribution of fluids in the body is the 60:40:20 rule: 60% of a patient’s body weight is water, 40% of body weight is ICF, and 20% of body weight is ECF.