The Effects of Prednisone and Prednisone Plus Ultralow-dose Aspirin on Coagulation Parameters in Healthy Dogs

Objectives: To determine the effects of prednisone and prednisone plus ultralow-dose aspirin on coagulation in healthy dogs, and to determine intra-individual variation in thromboelastography (TEG).

Animals: 14 healthy experimental dogs and 10 healthy client-owned dogs

Procedures: Prospective, randomized, blinded study. TEG was performed twice three days apart on each experimental dog prior to treatment and intra-individual variation was calculated. Dogs were given prednisone (2 mg/kg/day) plus aspirin (0.5 mg/kg/day) or prednisone (2 mg/kg/day) plus placebo for 14 days, after which TEG and other baseline tests were repeated. Changes from baseline between and within each group were compared using t-tests or Wilcoxon 2 sample tests. Client owned dogs had TEG performed twice three days apart to determine intra-individual variation.

Results: Intra-individual variation in TEG parameters were <10% for MA (maximum amplitude) and angle. For experimental dogs, MA and fibrinogen significantly increased from baseline whereas Ly30 (percent lysis 30 minutes after MA) and antithrombin activity significantly decreased within each group. For the prednisone plus placebo group, Ly60 (percent lysis 60 minutes after MA) significantly decreased from baseline. For all parameters, there was no difference between groups for change from baseline.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Prednisone caused hypercoagulability in healthy dogs evidenced by increased MA and fibrinogen and decreased antithrombin activity. Concurrent use of ultra-low dose aspirin had no effect on measured TEG parameters. Intra-individual variation in some TEG parameters is high and may preclude routine clinical utility.