Appendix II

DOSAGE CALCULATIONS WORKSHEET: LACTATED RINGER'S SOLUTION*

Step 1
The amount of fluids required for the daily maintenance of a bat weighing 8.5+ g is 55 ml (cc) LRS per 1000 g (1 kg) of body weight, times the weight of the bat (in grams), or

     55 ml/1000 g X wt. of bat = daily maintenance (ml)

Step 2
The amount of fluids required to make up the deficit incurred before fluid therapy is 8% of the bat's weight (in grams) divided by 2, or

0.08 X wt. of bat = fluid deficit (ml)
        2

Step 3
Add the daily maintenance to the fluid deficit, then divide by the maximum amount of fluids that can be delivered in one injection (0.50 ml) to determine the number of injections to be given in 24 hours.

daily maintenance + fluid deficit = ml/ 0.50 ml = no. of injections (distribute injections evenly between 6 A.M and midnight)

Step 4
Since injections can be distributed over 18 hours in each 24-hour period, divide 18 by the number of injections to be given, or

    18/no. of injections = 0.50 ml administered every hours.

An adult red bat (Lasiurus borealis) is admitted with a simple fracture of the left forearm. The animal weighs 10.2 grams. Before treating the bat for the fracture, administer the appropriate dosage of lactated Ringer's solution.

Step 1
First calculate the amount of fluids necessary for daily maintenance for a bat weighing 8.5+ g.

55 ml X 10.2 g = 0.561 ml
1000 g

Step 2
Then calculate the fluid deficit.

0.08 X 10.2 = 0.408 ml
      2

Step 3
Add the two figures together, then divide by 0.50 ml to determine the number of injections to be given in 24 hours.

0.561 ml + 0.408 ml = 0.969 ml = 1.938 injections
                                   0.50 ml

(round off 1.938 to 2 injections)

18 = 0.50 ml administered every 9 hours
 2

* Modified from Carpenter (1988)

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