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Treatment

If necessary, your veterinarian will hospitalize your dog for anticoagulant and fluid therapy. Your dog’s activity will be severely restricted until the condition has reversed. Bed rest is essential when an animal has a blood clot blocking an artery, since physical activity can rush the clot into an essential supply organ or vein. Oxygen cage therapy will be prescribed for your dog if the blood clot is in the arteries or the lungs. If the underlying disease causing hypercoagulability cannot be resolved, subsequent clotting episodes will probably occur.

If anticoagulant medicines are indicated, your veterinarian will decide how much, and how long to administer these medicines. The course of medication and therapy will be dependent on the amount of time it takes for your dog’s blood to clot after treatment.

Living and Management

You will need to schedule check-ups with your veterinarian to monitor your dog’s prothrombin times (clotting times) twice a week following discharge from care. After that, your doctor will probably begin scheduling your dog for weekly check-ups over several weeks, until it is certain that the condition has been resolved. Once this stage has been reached, a check-up every few months will be standard.