Assessment of coagulation utilizing thromboelastometry in dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery

J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio). 2015 May-Jun;25(3):358-63. doi: 10.1111/vec.12300. Epub 2015 Apr 2.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate blood coagulation using thromboelastometry in dogs following orthopedic surgery.

Design: Longitudinal observational study.

Setting: University veterinary teaching hospital.

Animals: Thirty-four adult client-owned dogs.

Measurements and main results: Dogs undergoing elective or emergency orthopedic surgery had whole blood collected before (T0), at 24 hours (T1), and 1 week (T2) after surgery. Whole blood from each dog was collected by jugular venipuncture using a 20-Ga needle and minimum venous stasis. The blood was placed into tubes containing 3.8% trisodium citrate (1 part citrate: 9 parts blood) and rested at 37°C. Coagulation was evaluated by means of thromboelastometry using the in-TEM, ex-TEM, and fib-TEM assays. Statistically significant increases (P < 0.05) in maximum clot firmness (MCF) from T0 to T1 in the in-TEM and fib-TEM profiles (both P = 0.0001), from T0 to T2 in the in-TEM, ex-TEM, and fib-TEM profiles (P = 0.012, P = 0.037, and P = 0.0001, respectively), and from T1 to T2 in the fib-TEM profile (P = 0.039) were noted. The α angle increased from T0 to T2 in the in-TEM and ex-TEM profiles (P = 0.019 and P = 0.036, respectively). All results were, however, within the institutional reference ranges.

Conclusions: In this study, unlike the hypercoagulability observed in human orthopedic patients, a hypercoagulable state as measured by thromboelastometry did not develop in dogs following orthopedic surgery.

Keywords: ROTEM; dogs; hypercoagulability; viscoelastic coagulation.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Critical Care
  • Dog Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Hospitals, University
  • Intraoperative Complications / diagnosis
  • Intraoperative Complications / veterinary*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Orthopedic Procedures / veterinary*
  • Reference Values
  • Thrombelastography / veterinary*
  • Thromboembolism / diagnosis
  • Thromboembolism / veterinary*
  • Veterinary Medicine