Prognostic value of three veterinary illness scores in three dogs post cardiac arrest

The post-cardiac arrest (PCA) phase is a critical period that requires intensive care and monitoring. Cardiac arrest and the precipitating disease that led to cardiac arrest have important pathophysiologic effects on the animal. In this study, the applicability of veterinary illness scores is explored on post-cardiac arrest cases to identify their potential prognostic values in the postcardiac arrest phase. Three cases with different pre-existing diseases are described and the PCA phase is evaluated using the modified Glasgow Coma Scale (mGCS), the Animal Medical Center (AMC) Performance Scale and the Acute Patient Physiologic and Laboratory Evaluation (APPLE) score. Each score assesses a different aspect of a dog’s physiology and comes with advantages and disadvantages. A new illness score based on these three scores could provide more appropriate monitoring and prognostic value.