[Hemophilia A in the dog: symptoms, blood coagulation analysis and treatment]. / Hämophilie A beim Hund: Symptome, Blutgerinnungsanalyse und Behandlung.

In our patients, haemophilia A was observed in German shepherd dogs and Siberian huskies. Frequently occurring clinical symptoms were excessive bleeding from the gums, when getting adult teeth, and haematomas in the regions of the proximal hindleg, the knee joint as well as the chest or abdominal wall, respectively. The activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) as a screening test of the intrinsic coagulation system reflects sensitively also a mildly reduced factor VIII:C activity which may be present for example during substitution therapy. Therefore, the aPTT is well suited for screening for haemophilia A. In haemophilic dogs suffering from hypovolaemic shock due to a considerable acute blood loss, besides the aPTT also the prothrombin time and partly the platelet number were beyond the respective reference range due to loss and consumption of coagulation factors and thrombocytes. For substitution therapy, fresh frozen plasma was used in the first line. Administered at a dose of 15 or 20 ml/kg BW, it caused an increase of factor VIII:C activity by 20 or 33%, respectively. 24 hours after the end of infusion the mean of the remaining activity increase in comparison with the value measured immediately after substitution was 27%. The fast, biphasic elimination of factor VIII:C in some cases required a repeated application until clinical recovery. Desmopressin acetate given at a dose of 1 microgram/kg KGW intravenously or subcutaneously to two dogs each did not cause a distinct increase of the factor VIII:C activity, and is, therefore, not an efficacious supplementary therapy to substitution therapy in haemophilic dogs.

[The effect of the albumin concentration on the relation between the concentration of ionized calcium and total calcium in the blood of dogs]. / Einfluss der Albuminkonzentration auf die Beziehung zwischen der Konzentration des ionisierten Calciums und Gesamtcalciums im Blut des Hundes.

Based on the results of 367 healthy dogs of different age, it could be demonstrated that the concentration of ionized calcium corrected to the pH-value of 7.4 ([Cai (7.4)]) as well as the concentration of total calcium ([Catot]) clearly decreased with increasing age. The most obvious changes were found during the first four months. The [Cai (7.4)] was not influenced distinctly by sex or by breed. The reference range (2.5-97.5% quantil) for [Cai (7.4)] in heparinized plasma was 1.32-1.51 mmol/l in 4-months- to 1-year-old dogs and 1.22-1.46 mmol/l in dogs older than one year, corresponding to a proportion of Cai to Catot of 44.9-54.9%. A moderately close correlation existed between [Cai (7.4)] and the [Catot] (r = 0.754) (n = 393 adult dogs: 180 healthy animals and 213 unselected patients). A similar correlation coefficient was found between the concentrations of Catot and albumin (r = 0.718) or total protein (r = 0.617), respectively. The proportion of Cai to Catot decreased with an increasing concentration of albumin, whereas [Cai (7.4)] tended to increase. The correction of the [Catot] for albumin did not lead to an increased correlation coefficient for the relation with [Cai (7.4)] (r = 0.676). In addition to albumin concentration, the relation between [Cai (7.4)] and the Catot is primarily influenced by complex-forming ions. This became clear by the transient citrate-induced decrease of [Cai (7.4)] whereas [Catot] increased after infusion of fresh frozen plasma in dogs suffering from diarrhea. This investigation shows the limits of the estimation of calcium homoeostasis on the basis of the [Catot].

[Hemophilia B in a mixed breed male dog: treatment of a hemorrhagic crisis with fresh frozen plasma]. / Hämophilie B bei einem Mischlings-Rüden: Behandlung einer Blutungskrise mit frisch-gefrorenem Plasma.

A 6 months old male crossbred dog became conspicuous because of a considerable haematoma in the region of the left thigh without recognizable exterior trauma. The results of the screening tests of the haemostatic system (distinctly prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT], normal thromboplastin time and platelet count as well as a shortening of thrombin time) yielded a tentative diagnosis of haemophilia. Haemophilia B could be diagnosed on the basis of a distinctly and isolated reduced factor IX activity (8%, reference range: 70-140%). Two infusions with 20 ml/kg BW fresh frozen plasma each caused a clear clinical recovery of the patient. In addition, the efficacy of plasma infusion was documented in vitro by a temporary increase of factor IX activity as well as repeated measurements with the resonance thrombograph and of the aPTT.