Condition4 connections · 1 source
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
DIC is a life-threatening complication where the body's blood clotting and clot-dissolving mechanisms become deregulated simultaneously, causing both inappropriate clotting and bleeding at the same time.
Key Facts
- Always secondary to another serious condition (never occurs on its own)
- Common triggers: severe infection/sepsis, cancer, heat stroke, trauma, pancreatitis, snake envenomation
- In cats: lymphoma, hepatic lipidosis, and feline-infectious-peritonitis are common triggers
- Mechanism: widespread inflammation triggers exaggerated clotting, which depletes clotting factors, causing bleeding
- Signs: petechiae (pinpoint bleeding), bruising, bleeding from wounds/IV sites, organ failure
- Diagnosis: coagulation panels, platelet count, D-dimer, antithrombin levels
- Treatment: address underlying cause + fresh frozen plasma + heparin + supportive care
- Prognosis is guarded to poor; early recognition improves outcomes
- Species: dogs (primarily); cats (rare)