Coagulation Testing

A complete blood count (CBC) is a blood test that will help identify potential problems in your pet such as anemia, dehydration, systemic infection, and blood.

Coagulation testing is indicated in cases where a pet demonstrates abnormal bleeding tendencies, hemorrhaging, severely bloody urination or defecation, or other similar symptoms. Liver disorders or possible exposure to toxins like rat poisons are also cases where coagulation testing would be needed.

There exist a number of coagulation, or clotting, tests which can diagnose possible bleeding problems before they occur or while an episode is being treated. Different tests will measure the body's ability to clot through different pathways in the clotting cascade. Tests include measurement of clotting tendencies, specific clotting factor assays, as well as platelet counts. A complete blood count may be recommended in conjuntion with coagulation testing to monitor severity of blood loss or anemia.

Coagulation testing may also be recommended prior to invasive procedures, especially if a pet has evidence of any liver dysfunction. The liver is involved in creation of many of the clotting factors and their metabolism as well as fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin K. For this reason, vitamin K injections may be recommended if clotting deficiencies are anticipated.

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