Aortic thrombosis in dogs: 31 cases (2000-2010)

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Cardiovascular Pathology
• Canine Health

Background:

• Aortic thrombosis is a serious condition in dogs.
• Understanding its clinical presentation and outcomes is crucial for veterinary care.
• This study investigates aortic thrombosis in a canine population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the clinical signs, treatment strategies, and survival outcomes for dogs diagnosed with aortic thrombosis.
• To differentiate canine aortic thrombosis from feline aortic thromboembolism.
• To analyze factors influencing survival time, such as disease onset.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case series design was employed.
• Data from 31 dogs diagnosed with aortic thrombosis (clinically or postmortem) were reviewed.
• Information collected included signalment, clinical signs, physical examination findings, laboratory results, and concurrent diseases.

Main Results:

• Clinical signs varied in onset (acute in 45%, chronic in 48%).
• Physical exam findings included weak or absent femoral pulses (74%).
• Common lab abnormalities included elevated BUN, creatinine, CK, D-dimer, and proteinuria. Median survival was significantly longer for chronic (30 days) versus acute (1.5 days) onset.

Conclusions:

• Aortic thrombosis is a rare condition in dogs, representing 0.0005% of hospital admissions.
• Clinical signs in dogs differ from feline aortic thromboembolism.
• While outcomes are typically poor despite treatment, chronic disease onset is associated with longer survival.