Viscoelastic blood clot test helps guide dog shock treatment

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To use a point-of-care viscoelastic coagulation monitoring device (VCM-Vet; Entegrion) and traditional tests to assess hemostatic changes during hemorrhagic shock in dogs. METHODS: 8 healthy, purpose-bred Beagles were enrolled in a hemorrhagic shock model conducted from September through December 2021. Dogs were anesthetized, had baseline hemostatic variables measured after blood pressure was stabilized at 70 to 80 mm Hg for 10 minutes (T1), had blood withdrawn from a jugular vein to achieve a mean blood pressure of 40 ± 5 mm Hg for 10 minutes (T2), were resuscitated with 100% shed blood, and then had hemostatic variables evaluated 10 minutes later (T3). At each time point, hemostatic variables were measured with traditional tests (Hct, WBC count, platelet count, mean platelet volume, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT], and concentrations of fibrinogen, antithrombin, and D-dimer) and the VCM-Vet device (clot time, clot formation time, α-angle, maximum clot formation, amplitude at 10 minutes [A10], amplitude at 20 minutes [A20], clot lysis index at 30 minutes [LI30], and clot lysis index at 45 minutes [LI45]). RESULTS: All dogs survived without complication. At T2 and T3 (vs T1), samples had significantly higher coagulability (increased median α-angle, A10, and A20) and fibrinolysis (decreased median LI30 and LI45) and significantly longer aPTT; however, all values remained within reference limits. CONCLUSIONS: The use of VCM-Vet helped identify complex hemostatic disturbances in dogs with hemorrhagic shock. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of VCM-Vet shows promise in aiding veterinarians in optimizing resuscitation strategies based on real-time clotting data.