Evaluation of acute traumatic coagulopathy in dogs and cats following blunt force trauma.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the presence of acute traumatic coagulopathy (ATC) in dogs and cats following blunt trauma and to relate coagulation variables with injury severity and admission variables.


METHODS
Prospective, single center, observational study from 2013 to 2014.


METHODS
Urban private referral hospital.


METHODS
Eighteen and 19 client-owned dogs and cats, respectively, sustaining blunt trauma within 8 hours of presentation without prior resuscitation; 17 healthy staff and client-owned control cats METHODS: Blood samples were collected upon presentation for measurement of blood gas, lactate, blood glucose, ionized calcium, PCV, total plasma protein, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen, platelet count, and thromboelastography.


RESULTS
ATC was diagnosed in 1 dog and 1 cat on presentation. Hypercoagulability was documented in 4/18 (22%) of dogs and 1/19 (5.3%) of cats. In dogs, prolongation of PT (P = 0.018), aPTT (P = 0.013) and decrease in maximum amplitude (MA) (P = 0.027) were significantly associated with injury severity as measured by the animal trauma triage (ATT) score. In cats, PT, aPTT, MA, and clot strength (G) were not associated with injury severity. In cats, increasing blood glucose and lactate were significantly associated with decreasing MA (P = 0.041, P = 0.031) and G (P = 0.014, P = 0.03). In both dogs (P = 0.002) and cats (P = 0.007), fibrinogen concentration was significantly correlated with G.


CONCLUSIONS
ATC is rare in minimally injured dogs and cats following blunt trauma. In dogs, ATT score is significantly associated with PT, aPTT, and MA, suggesting an increased risk of ATC in more severely injured animals. ATT score does not appear to predict coagulopathies in cats. Future studies including more severely injured animals are warranted to better characterize coagulation changes associated with blunt trauma.
Department of Emergency and Critical Care, Animal Medical Center, New York, NY, 10065.
Dara L
DL
Gottlieb
Department of Emergency and Critical Care, Animal Medical Center, New York, NY, 10065.
Jennifer
J
Prittie
Department of Emergency and Critical Care, Animal Medical Center, New York, NY, 10065.
Yekaterina
Y
Buriko
Department of Emergency and Critical Care, Animal Medical Center, New York, NY, 10065.
Kenneth E
KE
Lamb
D000818:Animals; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002415:Cats; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013916:Thrombelastography / Q000662:veterinary; D014218:Triage
TEG; animals; hemostatic derangement; injury severity