Multicenter investigation of hemostatic dysfunction in 15 dogs with acute pancreatitis

Abstract

Objective: To characterize hemostatic profiles in dogs with acute pancreatitis.

Design: Prospective and observational study.

Setting: Tertiary referral centers.

Animals: Fifteen client-owned dogs with acute pancreatitis enrolled between December 1, 2011 and June 1, 2012.

Materials and methods: Blood samples were collected on admission for measurement of platelet count, PCV, thromboelastography (TEG), antithrombin, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, D-dimer, von Willebrand factor, and fibrinogen values, which were compared to reference intervals derived from healthy dogs. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to test for differences in continuous variables between study subjects and reference intervals.

Measurements and main results: Dogs with acute pancreatitis were globally hypercoagulable using TEG when compared with reference intervals. Dogs with acute pancreatitis had significantly higher D-dimers (1,144 μg/L vs 251 μg/L [6264.5 vs 1374.5 nmol/L]; P = 0.001), fibrinogen (837 vs 232 mg/dL [8.37 vs 2.32 g/L]; P < 0.001), and von Willebrand factor (92.9% vs 65.1%; P = 0.02) as well as significantly lower antithrombin (85.7% vs 120%; P < 0.001) and prothrombin time values (3.8 vs 7.6 sec; P < 0.001) than reference intervals.

Conclusions: Laboratory evidence of hypercoagulability was present in dogs with acute pancreatitis. TEG may be useful in dogs with acute pancreatitis for monitoring response to therapy and guiding therapeutic interventions.

Keywords: D-dimers; canine; fibrinogen; hypercoagulability; pancreas.