Studying Pulmonary Hypertension and Clots

Dogs with pulmonary hypertension have much higher than normal blood pressure in the arteries and capillaries of the lungs. The disease has a high mortality rate and few effective treatments. In human medicine, growing evidence shows pulmonary hypertension is associated with blood clot formation in the lungs. Researchers will test if the tendency of blood clot formation contributes to pulmonary hypertension in dogs. The team will be studying platelets, the main cell type involved in clotting, as well as, coagulation factors, proteins in the blood essential for blood clot formation, in both dogs with and without pulmonary hypertension.  This study will provide further information if affected dogs might benefit from blood thinner medications.