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Published on: September 7, 2018
Hypercoagulability in dogs with blastomycosis
M A McMichael1, M O'Brien, S A Smith
1Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
Background:
Blastomycosis is a potentially fatal fungal disease that most commonly affects humans and dogs. The organism causes systemic inflammation and has a predilection for the lungs. The inflammation might lead to a hypercoagulable state with microemboli in the pulmonary circulation which could contribute to inadequate oxygen exchange in infected dogs.
Hypothesis/Objectives:
Dogs with blastomycosis will be hypercoagulable compared with healthy case-matched controls.
Animals:
Client-owned dogs with a diagnosis of blastomycosis (n = 23) and healthy case-matched controls (n = 23).
Methods:
Prospective case-controlled study of client-owned dogs presented to a veterinary teaching hospital with clinical signs compatible with blastomycosis. Complete blood counts, fibrinogen, PT, aPTT, thromboelastometry (TE), thrombin antithrombin complexes (TAT), and thrombin generation were evaluated.
Results:
Cases had a leukocytosis compared with controls [mean (SD) 16.6 (7.6) × 10(3)/μL versus 8.2 (1.8) × 10(3)/μL, P < .001], hyperfibrinogenemia [median 784 mg/dL, range 329-1,443 versus median 178 mg/dL, range 82-257, P < .001], and increased TAT concentrations [mean (SD) 9.0 (5.7) μg/L versus 2.0 (2.8) μg/L, P < .001]. As compared to controls, cases were also hypercoagulable as evaluated by thromboelastometry and had increased in vitro thrombin generation on calibrated automated thrombography.
Conclusions And Clinical Importance:
Hypercoagulability occurs in dogs with systemic blastomycosis. Additional studies are needed to explore a possible contribution of thrombogenicity to the clinical manifestations of systemic blastomycosis.
