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Calcimator

Veterinary Fluid Therapy Calculator

Calculate IV fluid rate from dehydration percentage, maintenance requirements, and ongoing losses.

Inputs

lb
%
mL/kg/day
mL/hr
hrs

Results

Total IV Rate

125 mL/hr

Macro Drip Rate (10 gtt)

20.8 drops/min

Fluid Deficit1,050 mL
Daily Maintenance900 mL
Micro Drip Rate (60 gtt)125 drops/min
Deficit Replacement Rate87.5 mL/hr
Total Fluids (correction)1,500 mL
1L Bags Needed2
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Body Weight, Dehydration %, and Species.
  2. Set Dog, Cat, and Large Animal.
  3. Adjust Maintenance Rate, Ongoing Losses as needed.
  4. Review Total IV Rate (mL/hr) and Macro Drip Rate (10 gtt) (drops/min).
  5. Use Fluid Deficit (mL) and Daily Maintenance (mL) to inform your decision.

How the result changes with Body Weight

Body WeightTotal IV RateMacro Drip Rate (10 gtt)
80666.7 mL/hr111.1 drops/min
2802,333.3 mL/hr388.9 drops/min
5204,333.3 mL/hr722.2 drops/min
7206,000 mL/hr1,000 drops/min

What each input means

Body Weight
Patient body weight.
Dehydration %
Estimated dehydration (5%=mild, 7%=moderate, 10%=severe).
Species
Species affects maintenance rate.
Maintenance Rate
Base maintenance fluid rate.
Ongoing Losses
Estimated ongoing fluid losses (vomiting, diarrhea).
Correction Period
Hours over which to correct the deficit.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Body Weight = 15, Dehydration % = 7, Species = 1, Maintenance Rate = 60 = 6 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Total IV Rate
    Total IV Rate
    125 = 125
  3. Calculate Macro Drip Rate
    Macro Drip Rate
    20.8 = 20.8
  4. Calculate Fluid Deficit
    Fluid Deficit
    1050 = 1050
  5. Calculate Daily Maintenance
    Daily Maintenance
    900 = 900

Engine last updated . Checked against 1 independently-derived test — how we verify calculators.

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