Thrombosis in dogs is nearly always a complication of another disease. The two single-site forms the NAVLE expects you to recognise are aortic thrombosis (ATh), which causes pelvic limb weakness or paralysis, and pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), which causes sudden respiratory distress. Both are easy to miss, because the signs look like orthopedic, neurologic or primary lung disease, and both should prompt a search for the hypercoagulable condition behind them.
Key facts
Thrombotic disease, single site (aortic, pulmonary) at a glance- Species: dog (cats get a different, cardiogenic form of aortic thromboembolism).
- System: hemic and lymphatic (hemostasis), with cardiovascular and respiratory effects.
- Cause: Virchow's triad: hypercoagulability, endothelial injury and blood stasis. High-risk canine diseases are immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) and protein-losing nephropathy (PLN).
- Classic ATh dog: older, medium to large dog with weeks of progressive pelvic limb weakness, cool hind limbs, weak or absent femoral pulses and proteinuria.
- Classic PTE dog: dog with IMHA, PLN, neoplasia, sepsis or hyperadrenocorticism that suddenly becomes dyspneic and hypoxemic with surprisingly unremarkable thoracic radiographs.
- Treatment: treat the cause, supportive care, and antithrombotic drugs: anticoagulants mainly for venous thrombosis and PTE, antiplatelet drugs mainly for arterial thrombosis.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 5 tables, 2 figures, 3 self-test questions and 21 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.