Introduction
- Signs : often associated with hemorrhage - usually present at a young age.
- Treatment : symptomatic often requiring blood product administration.
- Prognosis : depends on underlying cause.
Diagnosis
Clinical signs
- Depend upon where bleeding occurs:
- Pulmonary hemorrhage → dyspnea, coughing, epistaxis.
- Dyspnea very common as a result of intrathoracic or pulmonary hemorrhage.
- Subcutaneous and intramuscular → hematomas (can be very painful).
- Intestinal → hemorrhagic gastroenteritis.
- Genitourinary → hematuria.
- Cardiac → hemopericardium.
- Joints → hemarthrosis and lameness.
- Meningeal or cerebral bleeding → neurological signs, seizures.
- Petechiation and bruising particularly apparent with platelet disorders.
Sequelae
Prognosis
- Guarded: if severe case. Depends on site and underlying cause of hemorrhage and how this can be controlled.
Expected response to treatment
- Normalization of clotting times.
- Color returns to mucous membranes.
- Patient becomes more alert/responsive.
- Resorption hematoma/hemorrhages.
Reasons for treatment failure
- Non-detection of hemorrhage (eg internal).
- Delay in treatment.
- Inadequate supportive therapy (plasma or blood).
- Unmatched blood transfusion given.
Sources
Publications
Refereed papers
- Recent references fromPubMed.
- Brown R (2008)Haemophilia in Maine Coon cats.Vet Rec163, 667PubMed.
- Brooks M & DeWilde L (2006)Feline Factor XII Deficiency.Comp Contin Educ Pract Vet28, 148-155.
- Goree M, Catalfamo J L, Aber S & Boudreaux M K (2005)Characterization of the mutations causing hemophilia B in 2 domestic cats.J Vet Intern Med19, 200-204PubMed.
- Smith W, Day T & Mackin A (2005)Diagnosing Bleeding Disorders.Comp Contin Educ Pract Vet27, 828-843.
- Bay J D, Scott M A & Hans J E (2000)Reference values for activated coagulation time in cats.Am J Vet Res61, 750-753PubMed.
- Callan M B, Griot-Wenk M E, Hackner S G & Giger U (2000)Persistent thrombopathy causing bleeding in 2 domestic shorthaired cats.J Vet Intern Med14, 217-220PubMed.
- Maggio-Price L & Dodds W J (1993)Factor IX deficiency (hemophilia B) in a family of British shorthair cats.JAVMA203, 1702-1704PubMed.
- Cowles B Eet al(1992)Prolonged bleeding time of Chediak-Higashi cats corrected by platelet transfusion.Thromb Haemost67, 708-712PubMed.
- Soute B A, Ulrich M M, Watson A D, Maddison J E, Ebberink R H & Vermeer C (1992)Congential deficiency of all vitamin K-dependent blood coagulation factors due to a defective vitamin K-dependent carboxylase in Devon Rex cats.Thrombosis and Haemostasis68, 521-525PubMed.
- Littlewood J D & Evans R J (1990)A combined deficiency of factor VIII and contact activation defect in a family of cats.Br Vet J146, 30-35PubMed.
- Maddison J Eet al(1990)Vitamin K-dependent multifactor coagulopathy in Devon Rex cats.JAVMA197, 1495-1457PubMed.
- Kier A Bet al(1980)The inheritance pattern of factor XII (Hageman) deficiency in domestic cats.Can J Comp Med44, 309-314.
- Cotter S Met al(1978)Hemophilia A in three unrelated cats.JAVMA172, 166-168PubMed.
Other sources of information
- Stokol T (2005)Disorders of haemostasis.In:BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Clinical Pathology.Villiers E & Blackwood L (eds). pp 83-98, BSAVA, Gloucester.











