Absence of an elevated temperature at admission is not associated with mortality in dogs with septic peritonitis.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association between the absence of an elevated temperature and mortality in dogs with septic peritonitis.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study evaluating dogs treated surgically for septic peritonitis confirmed by abdominal effusion culture, cytology, or direct visualization intraoperatively at a private referral hospital (April 2022 to May 2025). Information collected included signalment, vitals, triage diagnostics, treatment timing (antibiotic administration, surgical intervention), diagnosis method, etiology, and survival.

Results: 22 of 60 dogs had elevated temperatures at presentation, 37 of 60 had a normal temperature, and 1 of 60 was hypothermic. The median Acute Patient Physiologic and Laboratory Evaluation (APPLEfast) score for all dogs was 23. There was no difference in APPLEfast score for dogs with or without elevated temperatures at presentation. The median time to injectable antibiotic therapy and surgical intervention for all dogs following presentation was 4 hours, with no difference between dogs with or without elevated temperatures. There was no significant correlation between temperature or APPLEfast score and time to injectable antibiotic therapy or time to surgery. Forty-nine of 60 dogs (82%) survived to discharge (18 of 22 [82%] with elevated temperature, 31 of 38 [82%] without elevated temperature). The absence of an elevated temperature, time to injectable antibiotic therapy, time to surgery, and APPLEfast score were not significantly associated with survival.

Conclusions: Absence of an elevated temperature was not associated with mortality in dogs with septic peritonitis.

Clinical relevance: In this study population, septic peritonitis carried an overall fair prognosis in dogs, but temperature at admission was not associated with mortality.