title: Hemostatic Findings in Ascitic Fluid: A Cross-Sectional Study in 70 Dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ascitic fluids of horses and humans have fibrinolytic activity, independent of the underlying mechanism of fluid formation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether coagulation and fibrinogenolytic/fibrinolytic activity (ie, low fibrinogen and increased fibrin-fibrinogen degradation products [FDPs], D-dimer, or both) occur in all types of ascitic fluid in dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 70 client-owned dogs with ascites.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, dogs were categorized based on the pathophysiology of fluid formation into 4 groups: transudates due to decreased osmotic pressure, transudates due to increased hydrostatic pressure, exudates, and hemorrhagic ascites. Fibrinogen, FDPs, and D-dimer concentrations were measured and then compared in both ascitic fluid and plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten dogs had transudates due to decreased colloid osmotic pressure, 18 had transudates due to increased hydrostatic pressure, 13 had exudates, and 29 had hemorrhagic ascites. Ascitic fibrinogen concentrations (n = 70) were significantly lower (median = 59 mg/dL; range: 59-122 mg/dL) than those in the plasma (median = 168 mg/dL, range: 59-879 mg/dL; P < .0001). Ascitic FDPs concentrations (n = 70) were significantly higher (<5 μg/mL: 3/70 dogs, ≥5 to <20 μg/mL: 11/70 dogs, ≥20 μg/mL: 56/70 dogs) than those in the plasma (<5 μg/mL: 17/70 dogs, ≥5 to <20 μg/mL: 28/70 dogs, ≥20 μg/mL: 25/70 dogs; P < .0001). Ascitic D-dimer concentrations (n = 70) were significantly higher (median = 3.98 μg/mL, range: 0.02-9.19) than those in the plasma (median = 0.11 μg/mL, range: 0.01-4.08; P < .0001). Analysis of the data for each of the 4 different types of ascites showed similar results to those of all the data analyzed together.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ascitic fluid of dogs has evidence of coagulation activation and fibrinogenolytic/fibrinolytic activity and that this phenomenon occurs independent of the underlying mechanism that leads to the formation of ascites.
authors.affiliation: San Marco Veterinary Clinic, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zoia
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, Veterinary Padua University, Agripolis, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drigo
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Piek
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiologic, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua Medical School, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simioni
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio d'Analisi Veterinarie San Marco, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caldin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001201:Ascites / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D005340:Fibrinogen
keywords: Ascites; Canine; Fibrinogenolysis; Fibrinolysis