Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Abdominal fluid buildup in dogs with sudden allergic reactions
By Summers, April M et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2021·Cornell University Hospital for Animals, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spontaneous abdominal effusion in dogs with presumed anaphylaxis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Sixteen dogs showing signs of anaphylaxis, like vomiting, diarrhea, and collapse, were treated at an emergency veterinary clinic. Many had been recently vaccinated or had been outdoors before their symptoms started. The dogs were found to have fluid in their abdomens, and some underwent a procedure to remove this fluid. Most of the dogs recovered and were discharged after about a day of hospitalization, but two dogs were unfortunately euthanized. This highlights that abdominal fluid can be a serious issue following anaphylaxis in dogs, and monitoring for it is important.
People also search for: dog vomiting after vaccination · dog anaphylaxis symptoms · dog abdominal effusion treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe patient characteristics of dogs developing spontaneous abdominal effusion in association with anaphylaxis. DESIGN: Retrospective study between 2010 and 2018. SETTING: University teaching hospital and referral specialty private practice emergency departments. ANIMALS: Sixteen dogs presenting to the emergency department for clinical signs suggestive of anaphylaxis with peritoneal effusion documented via ultrasonography. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Dogs presented with clinical signs of anaphylaxis including vomiting 12 of 16 (75%), diarrhea 9 of 16 (56%), and collapse 7 of 16 (44%). Physical examination findings included altered mentation 14 of 16 (88%), erythema 2 of 16 (13%), and urticaria 2 of 16 (13%). Historically, 3 of 16 (19%) had just recently been vaccinated, 1 of 16 (6%) had known contact with an insect, and 8 of 16 (50%) had been outdoors prior to the onset of clinical signs, whereas 5 of 16 (31%) had no known triggering event. At presentation, median systolic arterial pressure was 70 mm Hg (range, 30-210 mm Hg). Venous blood gas revealed an acidemia with a mean pH of 7.24 ± 0.09, a base deficit of 7.15 ± 7.7 mmol/L, and an increased plasma lactate with a mean of 7.35 ± 2.09 mmol/L. Bloodwork abnormalities included an increased alanine aminotransferase activity with a mean of 439.2 ± 404.5 U/L and an increased gamma-glutamyl transferase activity with a mean concentration of 7.29 ± 4.1 U/L. Twelve patients (75%) had gallbladder wall abnormalities on ultrasonography. Eight patients (50%) had abdominocentesis performed. The median PCV of the effusion was 0.29 L/L (29%; range, 4-41) and total plasma protein was 38 g/L (3.8 g/dL; range, 2.4-6.5). Two dogs (12.5%) were euthanized. The remaining 14 dogs (87.5%) survived to discharge, with a mean hospitalization time of 23.7 ± 16.7 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal effusion should be considered a potential sequela of anaphylaxis in dogs. Therefore, serial monitoring for presence or development of spontaneous abdominal effusion should be considered.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33913584/