Blood gas analysis

Evaluation of both arterial and central venous blood can be valuable in monitoring the critically ill veterinary patient. The traditional approach, which concentrates on arterial blood analysis only, may miss important aspects of oxygen delivery to tissues, especially in patients with poor perfusion. The advances that have resulted in affordable bedside blood gas analyzers have created a clinical situation in which blood gas analysis should be an integral part of critical care monitoring. Following basic principles of interpretation, blood gas analysis, which has traditionally been viewed as a complex method of monitoring, should become more useful. Assessing both the arterial and central venous samples should result in more efficient and higher quality care for veterinary patients.