Prognostic Factors Associated with Survival and Time to Discharge in Juvenile Canine Infectious Gastroenteritis
J. Araujo1; T. Magalhhães2; M.J. Dourado1; S. Batista3; F. Queiroga2; L. Ribeiro3; H. Gregório3
Introduction
Acute infectious gastroenteritis is one of the main causes of hospitalization in dogs during the first year of life. The aims of this study were to describe a canine population diagnosed with this condition and identify potential factors that influence hospitalization time and mortality.
Methods
Canine patients up to 12 months of age diagnosed with infectious gastroenteritis were searched retrospectively from two veterinary hospitals during a five-year period. Patient signalment (age, sex, weight, breed, size and deworming and vaccination status), clinical signs (hematochezia, fever and systemic inflammatory response syndrome) and blood test results (nadir neutrophil count and albumin level) were recorded to analyze the association with hospitalization time and mortality. Only dogs with a complete medical history and an adequate follow-up until death or discharge were included.
Results
One hundred and six dogs were identified: fifty-one percent were males and forty-nine percent were females. Median age and median weight were 16 weeks (range: 4–52 weeks) and 6.75 kg (range: 0.4–41.4 kg), respectively. Fifty-four dogs were purebred with large breeds being the most represented (34 out of 54). Hematochezia (n=78) and fever (n=56) were present in most of the dogs included (74% and 53%, respectively). Mortality rate was 17.9%: eighty-seven dogs survived with a median hospitalization time of 5 days (range: 1–16 days) and nineteen dogs died with a median survival time of 3 days (range: 1–8 days) after admission. The presence of fever and a nadir neutrophil count lower than 1.7x109/L were significantly associated with higher mortality rate (p=0.021 and p=0.005, respectively). Among survivors, a significantly shorter hospitalization time were described for dogs with a complete primo-vaccination protocol (p=0.003), no signs of hematochezia (p=0.037), normal albumin level (p=0.035) and a nadir neutrophil count equal or higher than 1.7x109/L (p=0.011) at presentation.
Conclusions
Dogs with fever and dogs with a nadir neutrophil count lower than 1.7x109/L showed a significantly higher mortality rate. Inadequate primo-vaccination prior admission, hematochezia, hypoalbuminemia and lower nadir neutrophil count had a negative impact on the animal’s clinical recovery and, therefore, were associated with longer hospitalization time.
Disclosures
No disclosures to report.