Disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with colic in 23 horses (1984-1989).

This research article presents a study of 23 horses that were diagnosed with Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), a condition associated with colic. The article categorizes the horses based on the cause of the colic and analyzes the treatments used for DIC, as well as their effectiveness.

Research Groups and Diagnostic Criteria

• The horses were divided into three groups based on the type of colic they had. Group 1 had compromised intestine, Group 2 had nonstrangulating intestinal displacement, and Group 3 had colic tied to enteritis or colitis.
• A horse was considered to have DIC if three out of five specific hemostatic (blood clotting) parameters were significantly abnormal. These parameters include decreased antithrombin III (AT III) values, increased level of fibrin degradation products (FDP), thrombocytopenia, prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, and prolonged prothrombin time.
• The most common abnormalities were reduced AT III activity, increased FDP levels, and thrombocytopenia.

Findings and Treatments

• Excessive bleeding occurred in seven horses during surgery and in nine horses afterward, between 1 to 12 hours post-surgery.
• Out of the 23 horses, 19 received treatment for DIC; this treatment included heparin and/or plasma or whole blood transfusions. Heparin alone was used in 12 horses, and combined with fresh whole blood transfusions or fresh plasma, was administered to four horses. Three horses were given plasma alone. The remaining four were not treated specifically for DIC.

Results and Conclusion

• Eight horses (34% of the total number of horses in the study) survived the acute coagulative disorder. A larger proportion of surviving horses received heparin therapy than the number of those that died, but the difference was not statistically significant.
• The initiation of hemorrhage did not always correlate with clotting times, rendering it an unreliable indicator of the condition.