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Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

DIC is a life-threatening complication where the body's blood clotting and clot-dissolving mechanisms become deregulated simultaneously, causing both inappropriate clotting and bleeding at the same time.

Key Facts

Always secondary to another serious condition (never occurs on its own)
Common triggers: severe infection/sepsis, cancer, heat stroke, trauma, pancreatitis, snake envenomation
In cats: lymphoma, hepatic lipidosis, and feline-infectious-peritonitis are common triggers
Mechanism: widespread inflammation triggers exaggerated clotting, which depletes clotting factors, causing bleeding
Signs: petechiae (pinpoint bleeding), bruising, bleeding from wounds/IV sites, organ failure
Diagnosis: coagulation panels, platelet count, D-dimer, antithrombin levels
Treatment: address underlying cause + fresh frozen plasma + heparin + supportive care
Prognosis is guarded to poor; early recognition improves outcomes
Species: dogs (primarily); cats (rare)