Aberrations in hemostasis, whether an increased tendency toward clotting or an increased tendency toward bleeding, can have significant implications. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the role of platelets in bleeding and in thrombosis. This was accomplished using two projects. The first is the development and validation of a novel canine bleeding score to be used in canine ITP. The second is the investigation of coated platelet potential in canine cancer patients.

This thesis is comprised of two major projects. The first describes the development and validation of a novel bleeding score to be used in canine immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), the DOGiBAT. ITP is a disease associated with significant clinical bleeding, and the use of a bleeding score will help to objectively compare treatments and to individualize treatment based on a patient’s bleeding risk. The second is a study of coated platelet potential in canine cancer patients. Coated platelets are a subset of platelets that are considered highly activated. If coated platelets are documented to contribute to thrombosis in cancer patients, they could potentially represent a novel therapeutic target.