CLOTTING TIMES AND ANTITHROMBIN-III ACTIVITY IN CATS WITH NATURALLY DEVELOPING DISEASES - 85 CASES (1984-1994)

Objective - To determine the prevalence of abnormalities of in vitro p rothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), or antithrombin III (ATIII) activity or all 3 variables in cats; and the association of abnormalities of these variables with naturally dev eloping diseases or disorders. Design - Retrospective study. Animals - 85 cats from which blood had been obtained for measurement of a coagu lation profile (PT, APTT, and ATIII activity) and concentration of fib rin degradation products. Procedure - Medical records from the Texas A &M College of Veterinary Medicine were reviewed to determine clinical diagnosis, results of CBC and coagulation profile, and clinical eviden ce of abnormal bleeding or thrombotic disease. Results - 38 cats had o ne or more abnormality in the coagulation profile; most had multiple a bnormalities. Twenty of these 38 cats had concurrent thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia was identified in 9 of 47 cats in which results of t he coagulation profile were normal. Most cats did not have clinical ev idence of a coagulation disorder, and testing had been requested as pa r? of a diagnostic work-up or before surgery. Diseases commonly associ ated with laboratory evidence of a coagulation disorder, either singly or in combination, included hepatic disease, neoplasia, and systemic infections. Clinical implications - On the basis of laboratory evidenc e, hemostatic disorders develop more commonly in cats than clinical si gns would suggest. Coagulation profiles may be warranted in high-risk cats to alert clinicians to potential problems.