Predicting Outcomes for Septic Peritonitis

Septic peritonitis is a relatively common problem in small animals requiring aggressive surgical treatment and intense postoperative care. There are many different sources of septic peritonitis including the gastrointestinal, biliary, and urogenital tracts. Similarly, there are many different reasons for contamination including dehiscence, trauma, necrosis, ulceration, and neoplasia, as well as idiopathic or undetermined causes. The mortality rate described for patients with septic peritonitis is quite wide ranging from 15-64%, and according to a relatively recent study, the overall prognosis was not significantly different for dogs treated during two different time periods (1988-1993 and 1999-2003) despite advances in surgical and critical care treatment. Evaluation of the veterinary literature is challenging due to the fact that most reports are relatively small case series or retrospective studies making it difficult to draw strong conclusions or recommendations regarding treatment or prognosis. Nevertheless, as additional studies become available, our understanding of various treatment protocols and potential risk factors will improve resulting in more targeted diagnostic testing, treatment protocols, and postoperative monitoring that will slowly lead to reduced mortality and better prognosis for patients with septic peritonitis. The following is a brief summary of some of the studies in the veterinary literature that have evaluated the effect of various risk factors and treatment protocols on the outcome and prognosis for small animals with septic peritonitis. [...]