Fourteen-Day Subacute Intravenous Toxicity Study of Hypertonic Saline/ Dextran 70 and its Constituents in Beagle Dogs

The subacute toxicity following intravenous administration of a proposed resuscitation fluid, hypertonic salineDextran 70 HSD, was evaluated in male and female beagle dogs. Animals received intravenous doses of HSD, at levels of 12, 16, and 20 mlkgday over a 5-minute period, daily for 14 days. Equal volumes of each HSD component, 7.5 hypertonic saline HS and 6 Dextran 70 D70 in normal saline, were also evaluated. Ringers lactate RL, dosed at 20 mlkgday, served as the control. Blood samples were collected for serum chemistry and hematologic analyses on Day 0 baseline, Days 1, 2, 3, and 7 before daily administration of the dosing solutions, and Day 14 before necropsy. Clinical signs were observed with increased frequency in the HSD- and HS-treated groups and included disorientation, inactivity, tremors, vomiting, excessive thirst, hunched posture, increased salivation, increased respiratory depth or rate, and panting. The D70-treated animals exhibited signs with incidence intermediate to HSD- or HS-treated animals, and those treated with RL. Since the proposed therapeutic dose of HSD is a single dose of only 4 mlkg, these findings indicate minimal adverse effects should be anticipated with the therapeutic administration of HSD. Keywords Subacute toxicity Intravenous administration Hypertonic Saline Resuscitation fluid Dogs. edc