Floppy kid syndrome caused by D-lactic acidosis in goat kids

BACKGROUND: Goat kids with floppy kid syndrome have metabolic acidosis, muscle weakness, and depression but no dehydration. HYPOTHESIS: D-Lactate is the major component of acidemia in goat kids with floppy kid syndrome. ANIMALS: Fifty-five goat kids with floppy kid syndrome (group F) and 35 clinically healthy goat kids (group C). METHODS: Clinical, biochemical, microbiologic, virologic, parasitologic, and pathologic examinations. RESULTS: The animals in group F had a blood pH of 7.13 +/- 0.11 and a base excess of -17.8 +/- 3.8 mM, which were both lower than the values in the control animals (pH, 7.32 +/- 0.31; base excess, -0.1 +/- 2.7 mM; P < .001). Floppy kids had a significantly larger anion gap than healthy kids (31.2 +/- 3.7 versus 21.5 +/- 8.5 mM; P < .001). The concentration of L-lactate was lower in floppy kids than in healthy kids (0.67 +/- 0.49 versus 1.60 +/- 1.02 mM), but the concentration of D-lactate was higher in floppy kids (7.43 +/- 2.71 versus 0.26 +/- 0.24 mM; P < .001). Intravenous and oral administration of sodium bicarbonate in floppy kids resulted in a significant increase in blood pH and base excess and a decrease in the anion gap (P < .001). In addition, the concentration of L-lactate increased (P = .039). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Metabolic acidosis in goat kids with floppy kid syndrome is caused by an increase in the plasma concentration of D-lactate.