Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bleeding marker changes in dogs with ascites from right heart failure
By Zoia, Andrea et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2012·Department of Small Animal Clinical Study·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of hemostatic and fibrinolytic markers in dogs with ascites attributable to right-sided congestive heart failure.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 20 dogs with fluid buildup in their abdomen (ascites) due to right-sided congestive heart failure (CHF) were studied to see if they had bleeding issues. It was found that these dogs had lower levels of a protein important for blood clotting (fibrinogen) and more abnormal test results related to blood clot breakdown compared to healthy dogs and those with left-sided CHF. Some of the dogs showed signs of bleeding, which could be linked to these findings. This suggests that dogs with right-sided CHF and ascites might be at a higher risk for bleeding problems.
People also search for: dog ascites treatment · right-sided heart failure in dogs · dog bleeding problems with heart disease
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether dogs with ascites secondary to right-sided congestive heart failure (CHF) have bleeding disorders associated with hypofibrinogenemia and discordant plasma fibrin-fibrinogen degradation products (FDPs) and D-dimer assay results (ie, a circulating concentration of FDPs higher than the reference range and a circulating concentration of D-dimer within the reference range). DESIGN: Retrospective case-control study. ANIMALS: 80 client-owned dogs. PROCEDURES: Dogs with ascites secondary to right-sided CHF (group 1; n = 20), unhealthy dogs without cardiac disease (group 2; 40), and dogs with left-sided CHF (group 3; 20) were included in the study. Urine bile acids-to-creatinine concentration ratios were calculated as a marker of liver function. Differences among groups regarding coagulation profile analysis results and prevalence of discordant FDPs and D-dimer assay results were determined. RESULTS: No significant differences were detected among the 3 groups regarding urine bile acids-to-creatinine concentration ratios. Plasma fibrinogen concentration was significantly lower for group 1 versus groups 2 or 3. Prevalence of discordant FDPs and D-dimer assay results was significantly higher for group 1 versus groups 2 or 3. Eighteen group 1 dogs had discordant FDPs and D-dimer assay results. Ten of these dogs had concurrent hypofibrinogenemia, 2 of which had clinical signs of bleeding. Only 10 dogs in groups 2 or 3 had discordant FDPs and D-dimer assay results; none of these dogs had hypofibrinogenemia or clinical signs of bleeding. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Dogs with right-sided CHF and ascites may be at increased risk for primary hyperfibrinogenolysis (ie, hypofibrinogenemia and discordant FDPs and D-dimer assay results).
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23113526/