Evaluation of fresh frozen plasma administration in dogs with pancreatitis: 77 cases (1995–2005)

Objective – Compare outcome of dogs that did and did not receive fresh frozen plasma (FFP) for treatment of pancreatitis. Design – Retrospective case series between 1995 and 2005. Setting – University referral hospital. Animals – Seventy‐four dogs were enrolled with a total of 77 cases as 2 dogs had repeat episodes of pancreatitis. Diagnosis of pancreatitis was based on clinical signs, physical examination, and abdominal ultrasonographic examination. Interventions – The medical database was searched for dogs with a diagnosis of pancreatitis. Information collected included signalment, vital signs, CBC, use of FFP, length of stay, use of antimicrobials and supplemental nutrition, surgical intervention, preexisting illness, evidence of a coagulopathy and outcome. Outcome was compared between those patients that did and did not receive FFP. Measurements and Main Results – Fifty‐nine dogs survived to discharge. Two dogs with repeat pancreatitis survived to discharge after each episode. Thirteen dogs died and 2 were euthanized. FFP was administered to 20 dogs. Two dogs that were hospitalized for repeat pancreatitis did not receive FFP. Seven of 20 (35%) cases that received plasma died or were euthanized compared with 6 of 57 (12%) cases that did not receive plasma. Plasma administration was significantly related to outcome (P<0.001). Severity of illness scores were difficult to assign, however, dogs meeting criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome were not more likely to receive FFP. Other therapies included supplemental nutrition, antimicrobials, and surgical intervention, which did not affect outcome. Conclusions – Mortality rate for those dogs receiving plasma was higher than those that did not. Severity of illness scores were difficult to assign; however, preexisting illness, evidence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and presence of a coagulopathy were not significantly different between the groups that did and did not receive FFP. No benefit for administration of FFP was noted. Additional investigation should be performed to confirm this result.     

Retrospective evaluation of postoperative nasotracheal tubes for oxygen supplementation in dogs following surgery for brachycephalic syndrome: 36 cases (2003–2007)

Objective – To assess the utility of nasotracheal tubes in postoperative oxygen supplementation in dogs following corrective surgery for brachycephalic syndrome. Design – Retrospective study 2003–2007. Setting – University teaching hospital. Animals – Thirty‐six client‐owned dogs that underwent corrective surgery for brachycephalic syndrome. Interventions – None. Measurements and Main Results – Medical records were reviewed for animals that underwent surgical interventions for brachycephalic syndrome including palatoplasty, ventriculectomy, and rhinoplasty. Data collected included signalment, presenting complaints, analgesic and surgical interventions, type of supplemental oxygen therapy, complications and mortality occurring during hospitalization. A nasotracheal tube (NTT) was placed in 20 dogs at the end of surgery; 16 dogs received other forms of oxygen supplementation (8) or no oxygen supplementation (8) during recovery. The total number of postoperative complications was similar in both groups (8/20 dogs with NTTs and 7/16 in those without NTTs). However, respiratory distress was observed in 5 dogs without NTTs but was not observed in any dog while an NTT was in place. One dog in each group died postoperatively. Conclusion – Placement of an NTT was found to be easy and may offer benefit in dogs with brachycephalic syndrome as a noninvasive means of delivering oxygen. The use of NTT may minimize severe postoperative morbidity, in particular by reducing postoperative respiratory distress.