Your dog becomes ill and you rush him to the veterinarian's office. A technician draws blood from your dog's leg for a vet-ordered lab test. After a few minutes the lab results are given to the vet, who immediately grabs a bottle from a shelf and begins to fill a syringe with an unknown fluid. You inquire about the fluid, and the vet informs you that the fluid is necessary to manage your dog's metabolic acidosis. Based on the information provided, what is acidosis, and what is the likely effect of the veterinarian's injection?