Acid-base imbalances and the association of blood-gas variables, electrolytes, and biochemical analytes with outcome in hospitalized calves undergoing abdominal surgery.

Background: Surgical abdominal emergencies in calves are associated with a guarded prognosis and have the potential for complex metabolic derangements including acid-base imbalances.

Objectives: To perform a comprehensive analysis of acid-base status and to assess the prognostic relevance of preoperative clinicopathologic variables in calves undergoing abdominal surgery.

Animals: Hospital-based study samples of 535 (dataset 1; DS1) and 83 calves (dataset 2; DS2).