Surgical timing in dogs with spontaneous hemoperitoneum is not related to blood product use, incidence of adverse events, or survival to discharge.

Surgical timing does not predict outcomes; individualize decisions based on patient stability.

This retrospective study analyzed 99 dogs with spontaneous hemoperitoneum (SH) undergoing surgery between 2009-2024 to determine whether surgical timing affects outcomes. Dogs were stratified into three groups: emergent surgery (ES, <12 hours; n=51), subemergent surgery (SES, 12-24 hours; n=24), and delayed surgery (DS, >24 hours; n=24). Lower peripheral total solids predicted earlier surgical intervention (ES or SES vs. DS). Dogs receiving emergent surgery were more likely to undergo splenectomy than those with delayed surgery. Critically, no significant differences were found in blood product requirements, adverse event incidence, or survival to discharge across timing groups. Overall survival to discharge was excellent at 93.9%, with most adverse events being minor. These findings suggest that surgical timing is not an independent predictor of patient outcomes in SH cases. The authors conclude that individualized decision-making based on patient hemodynamic stability, rather than rigid time-based protocols, should guide surgical timing decisions in this population.

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