Perioperative Outcome in Dogs Undergoing Emergency Abdominal Surgery: A Retrospective Study on 82 Cases (2018-2020)

Emergency abdominal surgery carries high morbidity and mortality rates in human medicine; however, there is less evidence characterizing the outcome of these surgeries as a single group in dogs. The aim of the study was to characterize the clinical course, associated complications and outcome of dogs undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. A retrospective study was conducted. Dogs undergoing emergency laparotomy were included in the study. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify variables correlated with death and complications. Eighty-two dogs were included in the study. The most common reason for surgery was gastrointestinal foreign body. Overall 15-day mortality rate was 20.7% (17/82). Median (range) length of hospitalization was 3 (0.5 - 15) days. Of the 82 patients, 24 (29.3%) developed major complications and 66 (80.5%) minor complications. Perioperative factors significantly associated with death included tachycardia (P < 0.001), hypothermia (P < 0.001), lactate acidosis (P < 0.001), shock index > 1 (P < 0.001), leukopenia (P < 0.001), thrombocytopenia (P < 0.001) at admission; intraoperative hypotension (P < 0.001) and perioperative use of blood products (P < 0.001). The results of this study suggest that mortality and morbidity rates after emergency abdominal surgery in dogs are high.