Comparison of a central and a peripheral (cephalic vein) injection site for the measurement of cardiac output using the lithium-dilution cardiac output technique in anesthetized dogs.

The objective of this study was to determine the agreement between cardiac output measured by central (cranial vena cava) versus peripheral (cephalic vein) venous injection of lithium chloride for lithium-dilution cardiac output (LiDCO) determination in the dog. Five dogs (2 males, 3 females), anesthetized with halothane, were used. With each dog, 12 alternating central and peripheral LiDCO measurements were made, resulting in 10 paired comparisons.

Effect of background serum lithium concentrations on the accuracy of lithium dilution cardiac output determination in dogs.

Objectives: To assess the effect of increasing serum lithium concentrations on lithium dilution cardiac output (LiDCO) determination and to determine the ability to predict the serum lithium concentration from the cumulative lithium chloride dosage.

Animals: 10 dogs (7 males, 3 females).

Procedure: Cardiac output (CO) was determined in anesthetized dogs by measuring LiDCO and thermodilution cardiac output (TDCO).