METHODS: Prospective study.
METHODS: University teaching hospital.
METHODS: Six client-owned dogs.
METHODS: None.
RESULTS: Blood was collected into 3.2% sodium citrate vacutainer tubes. The pH of blood was adjusted from baseline using hydrochloric acid to create weak acidemia and strong acidemia. Coagulation was assessed using TEG, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time. Kruskal-Wallis tests with Dunn\'s post hoc comparison tests were used to compare groups. Strong acidemia samples were significantly more acidic than baseline based on pH (P < 0.0005), HCO3- (P < 0.0062), pCO2 (P < 0.0001), and base excess (P < 0.0001). Using TEG, in vitro acidification of blood caused significant, progressive impairment of maximum amplitude (P = 0.0282) and alpha angle (P = 0.0312). Acidification of blood had no significant effect on prothrombin time (P = 0.345) or activated partial thromboplastin time (P = 0.944).
CONCLUSIONS: In vitro acidification of canine whole blood results in hypocoagulability as measured by some TEG variables.