Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with spontaneous liver bleeding one week after giving birth
By Graeber P & Weatherton L.·2025·Emergency and Critical Care Department, United States·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: Postpartum spontaneous hepatic bleeding in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old female dog developed weakness and stopped eating a week after giving birth. Tests showed she was anemic and had low platelet counts, and an ultrasound revealed fluid in her abdomen. During surgery, the vet found bleeding from her liver and a fragile uterus. This case is unique as it's the first reported instance of spontaneous liver bleeding after giving birth in a dog. After treatment, the dog's condition improved, but ongoing monitoring would be important for her recovery.
People also search for: dog postpartum bleeding · dog weakness after giving birth · dog liver problems symptoms
Abstract
A case of postpartum spontaneous hepatic bleeding in a dog is described and compared to a similar condition that occurs in humans (HELLP syndrome). The bitch developed vague symptoms of weakness and anorexia 7 d postpartum. Clinical pathology test identified anemia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated alkaline phosphatase. An ultrasound examination revealed peritoneal effusion with fluid analysis, consistent with a hemoabdomen. Exploratory laparotomy identified hepatic bleeding from multiple liver lobes as well as a friable uterus. No other abnormalities were detected. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of postpartum spontaneous hepatic bleeding in a dog. Key clinical message: In this report, we describe and compare the findings in this case to a well-described condition (HELLP syndrome) in humans that also causes hepatic bleeding as a severe complication.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41030418