Question

6.A 2 kg yorkie named “Tiny” presents to the hospital postictal. You check a BG (blood glucose). It is 32 g/dl. The doctor instructs you to give “Tiny” a dextrose bolus at a dose of 0.5 g/kg (1000 mg/g) IV to treat his hypoglycemia. The dextrose is a 50 % solution (500 mg/ml). How many grams will “Tiny” receive? How many mgs? How many mls?

Answer 1

In order to solve this question, we need to use proportions.

The dose of the dextrose bolus should be 0.5g for each gram of the dog's weight. Since the dog weighs 2 kg, we have the following proportions:

g of dextrose dog's weight in kg

0.5 1

x 2

So, the number of grams the dextrose bolus should have is x, which can be found by cross multiplying the above proportions:

x * 1 = 0.5 * 2

x = 1

Therefore, "Tiny" will receive 1 gram of dextrose.

Now, 1 gram is equivalent to 1000 mg.

Thus, "Tiny" will receive 1000 mg of dextrose.

Also, we are informed that the dextrose is a 50% solution, i.e., there is 500 mg of dextrose in 1 ml (milliliter). So, we have the following proportions:

mg of dextrose volume in ml

500 1

1000 y

So, cross multiplying, we obtain:

500 * y = 1000 * 1

y = 1000/500

y = 2

Therefore, "Tiny" will receive 2 ml of dextrose.