Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Shock index differences in healthy cats and cats in emergency shock
By Fadel, Leandro et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2025·Department of , United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Assessment of shock index in healthy cats and in cats presenting to an emergency room with shock.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 27 healthy cats was compared to 27 cats brought to the emergency room showing signs of shock, such as low blood pressure and abnormal temperature. The study found that the shock index (a measure of heart rate compared to blood pressure) was significantly higher in the cats in shock, indicating they were in a critical state. This shock index can be a simple and effective way for veterinarians to identify cats that need urgent care. The findings suggest that monitoring this index could help in quickly assessing and treating cats experiencing shock.
People also search for: cat shock symptoms · cat emergency room treatment · how to tell if my cat is in shock
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To prospectively compare the shock index (SI) in a population of healthy cats with a population of cats presenting to the emergency room (ER) deemed to be in a state of shock. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study of cats. SETTING: University teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Twenty-seven healthy control cats were enrolled to establish a reference interval, and 27 cats were enrolled that were presented to the ER with clinical signs of shock. Shock was defined as abnormalities in at least 2 of the following inclusion criteria: plasma lactate concentration > 2.5 mmol/L; peripheral vasoconstriction (at least 2 of the following parameters: capillary refill time >3 s, rectal-interdigital temperature gradient [RITG] >8°C, femoral pulse not palpable, pale mucous membranes); or systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 100 mm Hg. INTERVENTIONS: Upon presentation, SI (SI = heart rate [HR]/SBP), HR, SBP, and RITG were recorded in both groups, along with peripheral venous blood sampling for lactate measurement. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The mean SI in the control group was 1.47 ± 0.2 and was 1.87 ± 0.47 in the shock group (P = 0.001). Using equality in sensitivity and specificity of 0.7, an SI cutoff point of 1.54 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49-0.86) was determined with an estimated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.65-0.90). HR, plasma lactate concentration, and RITG did not differ between the groups. Systolic arterial blood pressure (P = 0.01), rectal temperature (P = 0.02), and interdigital temperature (P = 0.04) differed significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The SI is a noninvasive, easy, and reliable parameter for distinguishing cats in shock from normal cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39831468/