%0 Journal Article
%T In-hospital mortality in dogs with protein-losing enteropathy and associated risk factors.
%A Hawes C
%A Kathrani A
%J J Vet Intern Med
%V 38
%N 4
%D 2024 Jul-Aug 31
%M 38819636
%F 3.175
%R 10.1111/jvim.17123
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Risk factors associated with negative outcomes in dogs with protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) are well documented. However, mortality before hospital discharge and associated risk factors are not well described.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>Report the percentage of dogs with PLE that do not survive to hospital discharge and identify associated risk factors.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>One-hundred and seven dogs presented to a referral hospital and diagnosed with PLE caused by inflammatory enteritis, intestinal lymphangiectasia or both.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Retrospective cross-sectional study assessing hospital records. Data on in-hospital mortality and cause were assessed, and presenting signs, treatments prescribed, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, serum albumin, globulin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations, and histopathologic findings were compared between survivors and non-survivors.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>In-hospital mortality was 21.5% with the most common causes including financial limitations, failure to improve and aspiration pneumonia. Factors associated with mortality during hospitalization included longer duration of hospitalization (P = .04), longer duration of clinical signs (P = .02) and an increase in serum CRP concentration after 1-3 days of in-hospital treatment (P = .02). Higher mortality was identified in Pugs (odds ratio [OR], 4.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41-17.2; P = .01) and was a result of presumptive aspiration pneumonia in 5/6 of these dogs.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Protein-losing enteropathy in dogs has substantial mortality during hospitalization. Monitoring for improvement in CRP concentration after treatment during hospitalization may help predict survival to discharge. Pugs have increased in-hospital mortality because of aspiration pneumonia; measures to prevent, recognize, and promptly treat this complication may improve outcomes in this breed.