Gelatine
Gelatine-based solutions are synthetic colloids used for the expansion and maintenance of blood volume in various forms of shock, including hypovolaemic and haemorrhagic shock. The main difference between gelatine-based solutions and other synthetic colloids (such as hydroxyethyl starch) is that they have lower molecular weights. Consequently, they are excreted more rapidly, and the duration of plasma expansion is much shorter. They appear to have few antigenic or anticoagulative effects, with little impact on coagulation or blood loss following administration. > **Clinical Warning:** Use with extreme caution in animals with congestive heart failure or renal insufficiency, as these conditions significantly increase the risk of circulatory overload.
Mechanism: Gelatine acts as a synthetic colloid that promotes the retention of fluid within the vascular system through the exertion of **oncotic pressure**, thereby expanding circulating blood volume and improving hemodynamics during shock states.
Dosing by species
- Plasma volume expansion (shock) · 10-20 ml/kg · IV · bolus · Do not exceed replacement of >25% of circulating blood volume in a 24-hour period · Administer as a bolus. Monitor patient hemodynamics closely.
- Plasma volume expansion (shock) · 10-20 ml/kg · IV · bolus · Do not exceed replacement of >25% of circulating blood volume in a 24-hour period · Administer as a bolus. Monitor patient hemodynamics closely.
Doses are a clinical reference for licensed veterinary professionals. Always confirm against the current label and the individual patient.
Routes of administration
Contraindications
- Congestive heart failure (relative)
- Oliguric or anuric renal failure (relative)
- Known hypersensitivity to gelatine products
Adverse effects
- Anaphylactoid reactions (rare)
- Circulatory overload
- Potential kidney injury (extrapolated from human medicine concerns)
Monitoring
- Blood pressure
- Heart rate and rhythm
- Central venous pressure (CVP)
- Packed cell volume (PCV) and total protein (TP)
- Signs of fluid overload (e.g., tachypnea, crackles on lung auscultation)
- Renal function and urine output
Overdose
Overdosage can lead to **circulatory overload**, manifesting as pulmonary edema, elevated venous pressure, and respiratory distress. This is particularly dangerous in patients with compromised cardiac or renal function. Treatment involves stopping the infusion immediately and administering diuretics (e.g., furosemide) if necessary.
VetSheet drug reference is intended for licensed veterinary professionals as a clinical decision-support aid, not a substitute for professional judgement or the manufacturer’s current label.