Disseminated intravascular coagulation in the canine

Abstract

A panel of tests was selected and evaluated for the diagnosis of di s s e rrrin at.ed intravascular coagulation (DIC). The cr;iteria used in the selection of these tests was that they collectively rnu at be accurate, rapid and relatively s irnp le to p e r fo r m . In addition, the te sts were selected to fulfill the following objective s: 1) To provide he mato log ic al data considered irnpo rt ant in helping to arrive at a tentative diagnosis of DIC. 2) To detect defects in the no rm al rrie c harri s rn of coagula,tion and fibrinolysis. The tests selected were designated as the Stat. DIC panel and included the co rnpl et e blood count, the platelet count, the blood urea nitrogen, the p r oth r ornb i.n t irn e, the activated partial throITl~oplastin t irrie , the t hr omb in t irn e and fibrinogen degradation product deterrrrin at ion , The plan was to evaluate this panel of tests bo th in experirnerrtal ly produced DIC in dogs and in an irria l s with undiagnosed bleeding p r obIe m s pre sented to Colorado State Univer sity Veterinary Hospital. Two methods were used in attempting to expe r irnerrtal.Ly produce DIC. One method was the use of two intravenous injections of Escherichia coli endotoxin in 10 dogs and the other method was sur face -induced, deep hypothermia in 3 dogs. Neither method produced clinical evidence of DIC and in only one of the 13 dogs was the Stat. panel of tests positive for DIC. Approximately 20 dogs presented to the Colorado State University Veterinary Hospital were examined using the Stat. DIC panel of te st s , Of the se, 5 showed po sitive evidence for DIC and we re studied in detail. The primary disease in each of the se case s was different and included obstetrical complications, a ruptured ab sce ss, osteogenic sarcoma, chronic renal disease and sur gi cal shock. The se case s pre sented a limited opportunity to evaluate chemotherapy