Diseases Associated with Thrombosis

Coagulation abnormalities are commonly encountered in critical illness. Traditionally, clinically relevant coagulation disorders have consisted mostly of bleeding associated with advanced stages of disseminated intravascular coagulation or toxin ingestion. However, advances in critical care have highlighted hypercoagulability as a clinically relevant state that must be recognized and treated to optimize the chances of a positive outcome. Retrospective studies of dogs with confirmed thrombosis in varying locations have identified populations most likely to experience hypercoagulable states. Diseases most frequently complicated by thrombosis include immune-mediated disease, neoplasia, systemic inflammation and sepsis, cardiac disease, protein-losing states, and infectious diseases. In this report, the existing retrospective studies will be discussed along with a review of specific disease processes that predispose to a hypercoagulable state. Studies targeting those populations most at risk for thrombotic complications are necessary for better understanding the need for prophylactic anticoagulant therapy.