Perioperative fluid therapy is an important component of many medical procedures with animals. Buffered crystalloid solutions avoid inducing metabolic acidosis, but lactated solutions can elevate blood lactate concentrations and acetated solutions have not been thoroughly investigated using large animals. Here, the authors compare blood biochemical parameters in 20 juvenile pigs after perioperative fluid administration of an acetate-buffered solution (Elo-Mel isoton, EMI) or a lactate-buffered solution (lactated Ringer's solution, LRS). The authors measured blood lactate, glucose and electrolyte concentrations before and after administering the test fluid during surgery. Blood lactate concentration after administration was significantly higher in pigs that received LRS than in pigs that received EMI, but glucose and electrolyte concentrations did not differ significantly between treatment groups before or after administration. These findings suggest that EMI might be a preferable option for perioperative fluid therapy in pigs.