Acta Vet. Brno 2022, 91: 35-42
Protein C activity in dogs with gastric dilatation and volvulus
Protein C activity, a novel prognostic marker, was evaluated in patients with gastric dilatation and volvulus in relation to mortality and severity of the disease. Data on the mortality, duration of clinical signs, degree of gastric torsion, gastric necrosis, splenectomy and occurrence of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy were recorded. Blood samples were obtained at selected time periods: T0 = no longer than 30 min before surgery; T1 = first day after surgery; T2 = second day after surgery. In addition to protein C activity assessment, haematological and haemostaseological analysis was also performed. The mean protein C activity was the lowest at T1 and the highest at T2. No significant relationship between protein C activity and mortality, duration of clinical signs, degree of gastric torsion, gastric necrosis, splenectomy and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy was found in patients with gastric dilatation and volvulus. All patients that died during hospitalisation after surgery were patients with decreased protein C activity at T1. Although protein C activity was not found to be a reliable preoperative prognostic marker in patients with gastric dilatation and volvulus, the study results show it might be a promising marker in postoperative monitoring of these patients.
Keywords
Funding
This work was supported by funds of the grant agency IGA VFU Brno (FVL IGA 2020 – project no. 102/2020/FVL) of the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno. Partial results of the study were presented at the Conference of Internal Grant Agency VFU Brno on the 10th December 2020.
