Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Effect of epsilon-aminocaproic acid on blood transfusions
By Wolf, Johanna et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2024·Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: The effect of ε-aminocaproic acid on blood product requirement, outcome and thromboelastography parameters in severely thrombocytopenic dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 27 dogs with severe low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) were treated with a medication called epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) to see if it could reduce their need for blood transfusions and improve their recovery. Despite EACA increasing the strength of blood clots, it did not significantly change the number of transfusions needed, the length of hospital stays, or survival rates compared to a control group. Therefore, while EACA may help in cases of severe bleeding, it is not recommended as a standard treatment for dogs with low platelet counts.
People also search for: dog low platelet count treatment · EACA for dogs bleeding · dog blood transfusion needs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: No treatment other than platelet administration is known to protect against spontaneous hemorrhage in thrombocytopenic dogs. OBJECTIVES: Primary: determine if treatment with ε-aminocaproic acid (EACA) decreases the requirement for blood transfusions and improves outcome in dogs with severe thrombocytopenia. Secondary: find evidence of hyperfibrinolysis and determine the effect EACA administration on rapid (rTEG) and tissue plasminogen activator-spiked (tPA-rTEG) thromboelastography parameters. ANIMALS: Twenty-seven dogs with severe thrombocytopenia were treated with EACA, and data from an additional 33 were obtained from the hospital database as historical control (HC) cohort. METHODS: Single arm clinical trial with HCs. The EACA group dogs received EACA (100 mg/kg IV followed by a constant-rate infusion [CRI] of 400 mg/kg/24 hours). Thromboelastography before and during EACA infusion, hospitalization days, number of transfusions, and mortality were compared. RESULTS: No difference was found in number of transfusions per dog (median, interquartile range; 1, 0-2.5 vs 0.9, 0-2; P = .5) and hospitalization days (4, 4-6 vs 4.5, 3.75-6; P = .83) between HC and EACA groups, respectively, and no difference in survival was identified by log-rank analysis (P = .15). Maximum amplitude on both rTEG and tPA-rTEG increased after EACA administration (rTEG baseline: 23.6, 9.6-38.9; post-EACA: 27.3, 19.8-43.2; P < .001; tPA-rTEG baseline: 23, 10.9-37.2; post-EACA: 24.7, 16.7-44.8; P < .002). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Although EACA increased clot strength, there was no effect on outcome. Treatment with EACA at this dosage cannot be recommended as a routine treatment but may be considered for dogs with severe ongoing hemorrhage.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38206934/