Standards of Care in Practice: Real Life Approach to Hypernatremia

Course overview

In this webinar, Dr. Rachel Halpin will provide a case-based discussion of the diagnostic and management approach for patients presenting with hypernatremia. We'll explore a range of etiologies including hypotonic fluid loss, pure water deficit, and sodium excess, in both dogs and cats. The discussion will address key historical and physical examination findings, laboratory interpretation, and volume status assessment as tools for identifying cause and guiding correction. Emphasis is placed on differentiating acute from chronic presentations and applying evidence-based correction rates to avoid cerebral edema. The session also highlights how Standards of Care can serve as a practical, real-time framework for navigating these patients, from initial triage through definitive diagnosis and ongoing fluid management. Attendees will leave with a clearer, more confident approach to a common but high-stakes electrolyte disorder.