DOI
https://doi.org/10.18849/ve.v3i3.174Abstract
Objective: To describe the presenting problems for paediatric dogs and cats presented to emergency clinics, and to determine what factors influence mortality.
Background: There is a lack of published literature available on canine and feline paediatric emergencies, their survival rates and factors that contribute to mortality. Experience and opinion largely replace evidence-based medicine when treating this subset of the emergency population.
Evidentiary value: Evidentiary value for primary and emergency care practitioners is strong as the data is based on a large primary emergency care database. The paediatric population analysed consisted of 3142 paediatric canine and feline patients.
Methods: A retrospective review of canine and feline emergency admissions to emergency out-of-hours clinics (May 2012-January 2014) was conducted. Data recorded included age, nature of complaint, euthanasia/death during treatment, and survival to discharge. Survival to discharge included all patients who presented to the clinic for examination, received treatment and were subsequently discharged; this includes those patients who were discharged home or to their primary vets care. Patients were divided into four groups: canine patients ≤ 3 months of age and 3-6 months and feline patients ≤ 3 months of age and 3-6 months.
Results: Paediatric patients represented around 3% of the emergency cases identified in the database. Survival to discharge in patients ≤3 months of age was significantly reduced in comparison to patients between 3-6 months of age, in both species. Feline paediatric patients had reduced survival to discharge compared to their canine counterparts.
Conclusion: Paediatric patients have a low survival rate, indiscriminate of species and reason for presentation, with lower survival in younger animals; with a significant difference in survival between canine and feline patients.
Application: The results of this study are important to small animal veterinarians in both emergency and non-emergency practice.
References
Role of consultant paediatrician with subspecialty in paediatric emergency medicine, RCPCH, 2008. http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/child-health/standards-care/service-configuration/emergency-and-urgent-care/ emergency-and-urgent-care.
Bergman, R.L., Coates, J.R. (2005) Seizures in Young Dogs and Cats: Pathophysiology and Diagnosis. Compendium, 447-446.
Boothe, D.M., Tannert, K. (1992) Special considerations for drug and fluid therapy in the pediatric patient. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet 14, 313.
Centre, S.A., Hornbuckle, W.E., Hoskins, J.D. (1995). The liver and pancreas. In: Hoskins, JD Veterinary paediatrics: Dogs and cats from birth to six months. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Saunders. 189-225.
Chellani, H.K., Antony, T.J., Chatterjee, P.P., et al. (1989) Neonatal empyema. Ind Ped 26,189-191.
Cooper, E. (2015) Hypertensive crisis. In: Silverstein D, Hopper K Small Animal Critical Care Manual. 2nd ed. Missouri: Saunders. p46-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-1-4557-0306-7.00009-x
Fetuin, M., Allen, T. (1991) Development aspects of fluid and electrolyte metabolism and renal function in Compend Contin Educ Vet Pract 13, 392.
Firth, Ava. (2014) Most common small animal emergency problems in the UK. Proceedings of 1stInternational evidenced-based veterinary medicine conference. 23-24 October. Windsor, London. 128-129
Gupta, R., Faridi, M.M., Gupta, P. (1996). Neonatal empyema thoracic. Indian J Pediatr 63, 704-706. https://doi.org/10.1007/
Gunn-Moore, D. (2006) Techniques for neonatal resuscitation and critical care. Proceedings of the WSAVA/FECAVA World Congress. 11-14th Prague, Czech Republic. 714-720.
Holloway, B.R., Stribling, D., Freeman, S., Jamieson, L. (1985) The thermogenic role of adipose tissue in the dog. Int J Obes.6, 423-32.
Holster, M., Keeler, B.J. (1971) Intracortical distribution of number and volume of glomeruli during postnatal maturation in the dog. J Clin Invest 50, 796. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci106550
Hooston, D.M., Ribble, C.S., Head, L.L. (1996) Risk factors associated with parvo virus enteritis in dogs:283 cases (1982-1991). JAVMA 208 (4), 542-546.
Keeble, E., Kassarova,L. (2017) Focus on Emergency hospital care for children and young people. nuffieldtrust.org.uk.
Lawler DF (1989). Care and Diseases of Neonatal Puppies and Kittens. In: Kirk, RW Current Veterinary Therapy X.. Philadelphia. Saunders. P1325-1344.
Magrini, F. (1978) Haemodynamic determinants of the arterial blood pressure rise during growth in conscious puppies. Cardiovasc Res 12, 22. https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/12.7.422
Mathews, K. (2005). Analgesia for the pregnant, lactating and neonatal to paediatric cat and dog. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care 15(4), 273-284.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-4431.2005.00170.x
McMichael, M. (2015). Critically ill neonatal and pediatric patients. In: Silverstein D, Hopper K Small Animal Critical Care Manual. 2nd ed. Missouri: Saunders. p820-824. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-1-4557-0306-7.00155-0
McMichael, M.A., Lees, G.E., Hennessey, J. (2005) Serial plasma lactate concentrations in 68 puppies aged 4 to 80 days. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care 15,17. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1534-6935.2005.04026.x
Munnich, A., Kuchenmeister, U. (2014) Causes, Diagnosis and Therapy of Common Diseases in Neonatal Puppies in the First days of Life: Cornerstones of Practical Approach. Reprod Dom Anim 49 (2), 64-74. https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.12329
Nielen, A.L., Van der Gaag, I., Knol, B.W., Schukken, Y.H. (1998) Investigation of mortality and pathological changes in a 14-month birth cohort of boxer puppies. Vet Rec 142, 602-606. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.142.22.602
Prittie, J. (2004) Canine parvoviral enteritis: a review of diagnosis, management, and prevention. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care 14, 167-176. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1534-6935.2004.04020.x
Tonneson, R., Borge, K.S., Nodtvedt, A., Indrebo, A. (2012) Canine perinatal mortality: a cohort study of 224 breeds.Theriogenology 77, 1788-1801. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2011.12.023
Woollard, J., Jewkes, F. (2004) Assessment and identification of paediatric primary survey positive patients. Emerg Med J 21, 511–517. https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.2004.016501
License
Veterinary Evidence uses the Creative Commons copyright Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. That means users are free to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format. Remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially - with the appropriate citation.
Most read articles by the same author(s)
- Amanda Boag, Are Blood Lactate Levels Better Than a Crystal Ball – the Veterinary Evidence Base , Veterinary Evidence: Vol. 2 No. 2 (2017): The second issue of 2017
