ABSTRACT
This chapter includes descriptions of common metabolic emergencies: diabetic ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia, hypoadreno - corticism, and disorders of calcium. Weakness, lethargy, inappetence, PU/PD, and vomiting are signs that are common to each of these disorders. The spectrum of severity of these signs, however, is large. A proper triage may assess the animal as stable. Alternatively, the animal may present collapsed, requiring immediate resuscitation. Interestingly, each of these disorders can be identified with evaluation of a minimum database available in most emergency clinics: CBC, serum chemistry analysis, and urinalysis. Each of these disorders demands medical interventions. Ideally, the emergency clinician must be respectful of the potential of any metabolic disorder to derail and progress rapidly into a spiral of deterioration that may result in the death of the animal (137). Knowledge and experience will enable the emergency clinician to recognize the metabolic disorder before it becomes a metabolic crisis.
