Evaluation of the utility and accuracy of body fluids containing red blood cells to determine canine and feline blood types.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the accuracy of using body fluids macroscopically suspected to contain erythrocytes to determine the blood type in dogs and cats by use of an immunochromatographic cartridge (ICC), compared to systemic blood as the reference standard. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Thirty client-owned dogs and 8 cats. INTERVENTIONS: Dogs and cats with a sanguineous or serosanguineous body fluid (SBF) that also required a blood sample were eligible for inclusion. PCV and blood type were determined in all blood and fluid samples. For body fluids with a low PCV and discordant blood type results compared to systemic blood, sample concentration and repeat blood typing from the fluid was performed when enough sample was available. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: Body fluid samples consisted of 16 pleural (11 dogs; 5 cats), 12 peritoneal (10 dogs; 2 cats), and 4 canine pericardial effusions, 3 urine samples, and 1 each of feces and epistaxis from dogs and a seroma sample from a cat. Median (range) manual PCV of blood and fluid samples was 34% (14%-66%) and 6% (0.5%-70%) for dogs and 28% (14%-48%) and 14% (0.5%-19%) for cats, respectively. Dogs were correctly classified as being DEA 1 negative, DEA 1 positive, and DEA 1 weak positive when using body fluid for blood typing 13 of 14, 4 of 9, and 5 of 7, respectively. All reference blood type to fluid blood type (FBT) discordant results had a body fluid PCV equal to or below 2%. Subsequently concentrated body fluid samples had a PCV above 8% and repeat FBT matched reference blood type (RBT). All cats were classified as type A by all RBTs and FBTs. CONCLUSIONS: Body fluids containing erythrocytes may be utilized to blood type dogs if sufficiently concentrated and type A cats.

Retrospective evaluation of red blood cell distribution width as a prognostic factor in critically ill dogs (December 2016 to April 2017): 127 cas.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between RBC distribution width (RDW) and in-hospital mortality, length of hospitalization, and leukocyte count in critically ill dogs. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. ANIMALS: One hundred and twenty-seven dogs admitted to the ICU from December 2016 to April 2017. Patients were included if they had a CBC performed within the first 24 h of admission. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 29% (37/127), and median length of hospital stay was 3 days (interquartile range [IQR], 5). The median RDW value was 13.8% (IQR, 1.6%; reference interval, 11.9%-14.5 %). The canine Acute Patient Physiologic and Laboratory Evaluation (APPLE) fast score was calculated in 81 of 127 (64%) patients; the median score was 24/50 (IQR, 9). There was no significant correlation between RDW and APPLE fast score (P = 0.163). Subgroup analysis was performed according to the following diagnostic categories: abdominal (36%; 46/127), hematological (13%; 16/127), respiratory (13%; 16/127), neurological (12%; 15/127), cardiovascular (11%; 14/127), integument (3%; 4/127), trauma (3%; 4/127), musculoskeletal (2%; 3/127), and others (7%; 9/127). Increased RDW was not associated with in-hospital mortality overall (P = 0.381) or in any individual subgroup analysis. No association was found between length of hospitalization and RDW values in either survivors (P = 0.548) or nonsurvivors (P = 0.083). The correlation between RDW and leukocyte count was nonsignificant (P = 0.12). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, admission RDW was not associated with in-hospital mortality or length of hospitalization in critically ill dogs. The correlation between RDW and leukocyte count was nonsignificant.

Retrospective evaluation of negative-pressure pulmonary edema in dogs (2006-2018): 35 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes in a population of dogs with negative-pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE) and to identify the main causes of the disease. To evaluate any associations with morbidity and mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Three university teaching hospitals and 2 private referral centers in the United Kingdom. ANIMALS: Thirty-five client-owned dogs presented with NPPE. INTERVENTIONS: None MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Data collected included patient characteristics, clinical history, clinicopathological abnormalities, radiographic features, treatments, and outcomes. The median age was 4 months (range 2-90) and median weight was 7.1 kg (range 1.7-37.2). There were many causes of NPPE including leash tugs, near hanging, accidental choking, anatomical obstruction to airflow, and purposeful airway obstruction by people. The most common cause of NPPE was accidental choking (40% of cases). Dogs with an anatomical obstruction were older than 24 months. Hypoxemia with an increased alveolar-arterial gradient was common on presentation. The majority of thoracic radiographs (65.7%) showed an alveolar or interstitial pattern in the caudodorsal area as previously described in the literature. Oxygen therapy was administered to 33 (94.3%) dogs. Furosemide was administered to 18 (51.4%) dogs. The median length of hospitalization was 2 days (range 0-14). Twenty-eight (80%) dogs survived to discharge. Seven dogs were mechanically ventilated and only 2 of them (28.6%) survived to discharge. The requirement for mechanical ventilation was the only parameter associated with mortality (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Most cases of NPPE occur in juvenile dogs. Different incidents associated with upper airway obstruction can produce an episode of NPPE. Choking on food or toys and near hanging have not been previously described in the veterinary literature as inciting causes of NPPE. The overall prognosis is good.

Urine dipstick precision with standard visual and automated methods within a small animal teaching hospital.

Urine dipstick results may vary between operators/methods. The magnitude of variation across the veterinary field is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the precision of urine dipstick results between standard direct visual and automated reading methods when performed by several operators. Urine samples were pooled and divided into three aliquots: one plain, one with glucose and one with serum. Final year students, veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses, blinded to each sample, were then asked to perform dipstick analysis with direct visualisation and an automated analyser, and their technique was observed. A subsequent session was undertaken with samples which had pH titrated to achieve an acidic, neutral or alkaline value. Sixty-four veterinary students, 20 veterinary surgeons and seven veterinary nurses performed the first (n=61) or second (n=30) part of the study. Precision was greater using the automated reader. The most common observed technique errors were: lack of sample mixing, for both visual and automated methods, and not timing readings as per manufacturer instructions when performing visual analysis. This study suggests that in an environment with multiple operators, as is the case in veterinary teaching or large private hospitals, automated urine dipstick reading improves precision of results.