Veterinary Clinical Medicine-I (General and Systemic)

SEPSIS

• Sepsis is defined as the systemic inflammatory response to infection. Therefore systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a complicate syndrome that may occur as a result of trauma, burn, sepsis and is currently defined as patients that show two or more of the following criteria:
• Temperature > 39.7 or < 37.8 ^oC
• Respiratory rate > 30 bpm or PaCO₂ < 32 mm Hg.
• Heart rate > 160 bpm (dog) or > 250 bpm (cat)
• White blood cell count > 19,000 or < 4,000 or > 10% band neutrophils
• Septic shock is actually a combination of the 3 types of Shocks: hypovolemic, cardiogenic and distributive. In early stages of septic shock (hyperdynamic phase), patients may show dark red mucous membranes with a short capillary refill time (CRT<1 second), elevated heart and respiratory rate, fever, bounding pulses and signs associated to peripheral vasodilation. In more advanced stages mucous membranes may see grey and dry, Increased CRT, weak pulses. These patients need a Emergency Team approach, because the different procedures and exams that such a patient require.
• Data about of septic patients should be collected to determine if they have any predisposing factor in history as immunosuppressive therapy or chemotherapy, as well metabolic diseases such as Cushing's Syndrome, Diabetes mellitus or viral infections as Parvovirus.
• Blood samples should be obtained for culture, complete blood count, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, clinical chemistry panel and blood gas evaluation. In the same way, urine sample must be obtained by centesis for urinalysis and culture.