title: Perioperative outcome in dogs with hemoperitoneum: 83 cases (2005-2010).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the clinical course of dogs with hemoperitoneum in the perioperative setting and to determine risk factors that may affect short-term outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  83 client-owned dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of dogs with hemoperitoneum that underwent surgery between 2005 and 2010 were reviewed. Data were analyzed to determine risk factors associated with perioperative outcome. The perioperative period was defined as the time from admission to the hospital for treatment of hemoperitoneum until the time of discharge or euthanasia (within the same visit).
  
  
  RESULTS
  13 of 83 (16%) dogs died or were euthanized in the perioperative period. The median hospitalization time for surviving dogs was 2 days (range, 1 to 5 days). The requirement for a massive transfusion with blood products was a negative prognostic indicator for hospital discharge. The source of bleeding was isolated to the spleen in 75 of 83 (90%) dogs; a splenic source of hemorrhage was determined to be a positive predictor of survival to discharge from the hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, factors associated with death and failure to be discharged from the hospital included tachycardia, a requirement for massive transfusion with blood products, and the development of respiratory disease secondary to suspected pulmonary thromboembolism or acute respiratory distress syndrome. The presence of disease within the spleen was positively associated with survival to discharge. Surgical intervention for treatment of hemoperitoneum, regardless of etiology, resulted in discharge from the hospital for 70 of the 83 (84%) dogs in this series.
authors: Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA. lux.cassie@gmail.com
authors: Cassie N
authors: CN
authors: Lux
authors: William T N
authors: WT
authors: Culp
authors: Philipp D
authors: PD
authors: Mayhew
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Tong
authors: Robert B
authors: RB
authors: Rebhun
authors: Philip H
authors: PH
authors: Kass
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006465:Hemoperitoneum / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D059035:Perioperative Period / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome