Objective: To describe a case of mannitol overdose associated with acute kidney injury (AKI), hypertonic hyponatremia, and neurologic abnormalities in a dog.
Case summary: A 10-year-old intact male Shiba Inu dog was referred to the emergency service of a veterinary teaching hospital for inappetence and acute onset of seizures. The dog had received 2 IV boluses of 3 g/kg of mannitol in less than 24 hours for a glaucoma crisis. Twelve hours after the second injection, the dog became inappetant and developed 2 generalized seizures. Seizure activity was treated with diazepam (0.5 mg/kg IV). Serum biochemistry profile showed severe hyponatremia and hypochloremia, mild hypokalemia, marked increased creatinine (381 µmol/L [44-133 µmol/L]) and moderately increased BUN (13.8 mmol/L [1.6-10.9 mmol/L]). Urinalysis revealed a urine specific gravity of 1.018, glucosuria, proteinuria, pigmenturia and the presence of vacuolized tubular epithelial cells. A presumptive diagnosis of mannitol intoxication was made based on the high dose of mannitol, severe hyponatremia, neurological abnormalities suggestive of intracranial disease, AKI, and urine cytology. Initial calculated plasma osmolality was 263.4 mOsm/kg and measured plasma osmolality was 332 mOsm/kg with an osmolal gap of 68.6 mOsm/kg, confirming the presence of an unmeasured solute attributed to mannitol. Treatment consisted of fluid therapy and supportive care. On day 3, osmolal gap had resolved and serum creatinine concentration returned to normal within 12 days.
New or unique information provided: Mannitol intoxication has been reported in human medicine. This case report is, to our knowledge, the first to describe AKI, hypertonic hyponatremia, and neurological abnormalities secondary to mannitol overdose in a dog.
Keywords: AKI; canine; hyperosmolality; osmotic nephrosis; seizures.
© Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2019.