Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood clotting problems in dogs with blastomycosis fungal infection
By McMichael, M A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2015·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hypercoagulability in dogs with blastomycosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with blastomycosis, a serious fungal infection, showed signs of increased blood clotting compared to healthy dogs. Symptoms of blastomycosis can include coughing, difficulty breathing, and lethargy. Tests revealed that these infected dogs had higher levels of certain blood components associated with inflammation and clotting. This hypercoagulable state may contribute to breathing problems in affected dogs. Further research is needed to understand how this increased clotting affects the overall health of dogs with blastomycosis.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Blastomycosis is a potentially fatal fungal disease that most commonly affects humans and dogs. The organism causes systemic inflammation and has a predilection for the lungs. The inflammation might lead to a hypercoagulable state with microemboli in the pulmonary circulation which could contribute to inadequate oxygen exchange in infected dogs. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Dogs with blastomycosis will be hypercoagulable compared with healthy case-matched controls. ANIMALS: Client-owned dogs with a diagnosis of blastomycosis (n = 23) and healthy case-matched controls (n = 23). METHODS: Prospective case-controlled study of client-owned dogs presented to a veterinary teaching hospital with clinical signs compatible with blastomycosis. Complete blood counts, fibrinogen, PT, aPTT, thromboelastometry (TE), thrombin antithrombin complexes (TAT), and thrombin generation were evaluated. RESULTS: Cases had a leukocytosis compared with controls [mean (SD) 16.6 (7.6) × 10(3)/μL versus 8.2 (1.8) × 10(3)/μL, P < .001], hyperfibrinogenemia [median 784 mg/dL, range 329-1,443 versus median 178 mg/dL, range 82-257, P < .001], and increased TAT concentrations [mean (SD) 9.0 (5.7) μg/L versus 2.0 (2.8) μg/L, P < .001]. As compared to controls, cases were also hypercoagulable as evaluated by thromboelastometry and had increased in vitro thrombin generation on calibrated automated thrombography. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Hypercoagulability occurs in dogs with systemic blastomycosis. Additional studies are needed to explore a possible contribution of thrombogenicity to the clinical manifestations of systemic blastomycosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25818206/