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Abstract
Enhanced platelet reactivity has been demonstrated in heartworm-infected (HWI) dogs through in vitro platelet aggregation. The root cause and clinical implications of these enhanced responses however have not been fully elucidated. To more broadly evaluate platelet function this work was carried out in two phases with the following aims (1) to characterize platelet responses in experimentally and naturally HWI dogs using platelet rich plasma and whole blood samples via novel platelet function analyzers, (2) to evaluate for the presence of immature/reticulated platelets, and (3) to determine if altered platelet function is associated with anecdotal reports of enhanced bleeding during sterilization surgery in naturally HWI female dogs. Results indicate that heartworm disease is associated with hypercoagulability (p <0.05), and decreased fibrinolysis (p <0.05) in a subset of dogs. Based on results under these specific set experimental conditions, canine heartworm disease is associated with hypercoagulability, and decreased fibrinolysis in experimentally infected dogs.