Results indicated that MODS, defined as dysfunction of at least 2 organ systems, can be identified in dogs with sepsis and that organ system dysfunction increased the odds of death.

Objective: To determine the continuous changes in blood volume in response to fluid administration using an in-line hematocrit monitor. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Research laboratory. Animals: Four healthy dogs. Interventions: Each dog received intravenous boluses of 80 mL/kg of 0.9% saline (S), 4 mL/kg of 7.5% saline (HS), 20 mL/kg of dextran 70 (D), 20 mL/kg of hetastarch (HES), or no fluids (control, C) on separate occasions. Fluids were administered at 150 mL/min in the S, D, and HES groups, and at 1 mL/kg/min in the HS group. Measurements and main results: Blood volume changes were measured every 20 seconds for 240 minutes using an in-line hematocrit monitor. There was a rapid rise in blood volume during all infusions. Immediately after the administration of crystalloid fluids, the rapid rise in blood volume ceased. Subsequently, there was a steep decline in blood volume for 10 minutes, and a slower decline thereafter. In contrast, the rise in blood volume continued for at least 10 minutes after the infusion of the colloids was complete, and a plateau was observed for the remainder of the experiment. The blood volume effect, as measured by area under the curve, was significantly greater in the saline group than the other groups during the infusion time and for the 0-240 minutes time period. The areas under the curve for the two colloid solutions were not significantly different from each other during any time periods. The percent increase in blood volume immediately following the infusions was 76.4 AE 10.0 in the S group, 17.1 AE 3.2 in the HS group, 23.0 AE 10.5 in the D group, and 27.2 AE 6.4 in the HES group. At 30 minutes from the start of the infusion, the mean percent increases in blood volumes were 35.2 AE 9.3 in the S group, 12.3 AE 0.9 in the HS group, 35.9 AE 7.3 in the D group, and 36.8 AE 6.5 in the HES group. At 240 h post-infusion, the mean percent increases in blood volume were 18.0 AE 9.7 in the S group, 2.9 AE 6.1 in the HS group, 25.6 AE 16.1 in the D group, and 26.6 AE 8.6 in the HES group. The C group had a mean percent change in blood volume of À 3.7 AE 3.4 at the end of the experiment. Conclusions: This study indicates that the rapid administration of saline at clinically relevant doses leads to the largest immediate increase in blood volume, although this change is transient because of rapid redistribution of the fluid. Despite a brief increase in blood volume that was almost 3 times the volume administered, hypertonic saline led to the smallest increase in blood volume post-infusion. The synthetic colloid solutions increased the blood volume by an amount greater than that infused and the effect was sustained for a longer period of time than seen following crystalloid administration, but the maximum increase in blood volume was significantly less than saline. The measurement of continuous changes in blood volume, using an in-line hematocrit monitor, was a useful means of assessing the dynamic effects of fluid administration in dogs in a research setting.(J Vet Emerg Crit Care ...

Among all dogs admitted to ICU, BD were more likely to receive MV than non-BD. Aspiration pneumonia was frequently identified as the underlying cause of respiratory compromise. The survival rate for BD undergoing MV was not markedly different from previous studies. Weaning of BD from MV may be facilitated by employing preemptive strategies such as performing tracheostomy tube placements.

Early nutritional support in dogs with septic peritonitis is associated with a shorter hospitalization length.

BackgroundViscoelastic coagulation devices are a useful adjunct to the evaluation of hemostasis in veterinary patients. VCM Vet is a point‐of‐care device that is simple in operation and could be used to diagnose and trend hemostatic abnormalities in sick patients. VCM Vet does not use activators.ObjectivesWe aimed to establish reference intervals (RIs) for VCM Vet in a healthy adult canine population and concurrently perform thromboelastographic (TEG) analysis on these samples with and without tissue factor (TF) activation for RI comparisons.MethodsDuplicate VCM Vet tests were performed immediately upon sample collection. Two concurrent TEG tests were performed on the remaining blood, one citrated, untreated (CU), and one activated with TF at a 1:3600 dilution.ResultsFifty‐two dogs were enrolled in the study. The following RIs were generated for VCM Vet machine 1 and 2, respectively: clot time (CT) (seconds) 163‐480 and 172‐457; clot formation time (CFT) (seconds) 104‐288 and 94‐252, α‐angle (degrees) 41‐65 and 44‐66, and maximum clot firmness (MCF) (no units) 27‐43 and 30‐46. Moderate to good correlations were observed between the two machines with Lin’s concordance correlation coefficients of 0.51‐0.9 and a P < 0.002. TEG RIs were similar to previously reported values.ConclusionsVCM Vet RIs were generated. Each VCM Vet device should have a unique RI established due to inter‐device variability. Direct correlations of VCM Vet values with TEG parameters were not performed due to the narrow range of the normal values and the need to evaluate patients with a wide range of hemostatic abnormalities.

The microcirculation of normal dogs is readily observable using the videomicroscope and recorded video segments can be used to determine microcirculatory measurements. These values may prove useful for comparison in future studies that examine canine microcirculatory parameters.

Feline SSP is frequently associated with extensive pulmonary pathology. Supportive medical management is most appropriate, except in rare cases with focal congenital abnormalities that may benefit from surgical intervention. AASSP appears to carry a good prognosis for short-term outcome (survival to discharge). Clinical assessment, imaging, and invasive diagnostics were required to differentiate between AASSP and NAASSP.

VetALI and VetARDS can cause life-threatening respiratory distress in dogs and cats necessitating mechanical ventilation in 50% of dogs and 80% of cats in this study. These diseases are associated with a poor clinical outcome and a high rate of humane euthanasia.