Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
A case of canine hypoadrenocorticism needing blood transfusion for severe acute anemia due to gastrointestinal hemorrhage.
- Journal:
- The Journal of veterinary medical science
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Kimura, Yuya et al.
- Affiliation:
- School of Veterinary Medicine · Japan
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old male Rottweiler was brought to the vet because he was vomiting, had diarrhea, was very tired, and had a low body temperature. Tests showed he was in shock, had low levels of certain electrolytes, and was anemic, meaning he had a low number of red blood cells. Just four days earlier, his blood tests showed he was healthy, so the sudden drop in red blood cells was concerning. The vet found that he had bleeding in his gastrointestinal tract, which was causing the anemia, and he needed a blood transfusion to help him recover. After treatment, his overall condition and hydration improved, but the blood transfusion was necessary due to the severity of his anemia.
Abstract
A 3-year-old male Rottweiler presented with the chief complaint of recurrent vomiting, diarrhea, hypothermia, and lethargy. Hypovolemic shock was noted with abnormal electrolytes (Na/K ratio, 27.9) and anemia (hematocrit, 17.3%). Since the hematocrit was 49.2% four days earlier when the primary veterinarian examined the dog, acute anemia was diagnosed. Melena was observed on the next day. The general condition and hydration improved with treatment, and an adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test identified hypoadrenocorticism. However, the hematocrit decreased further to 9%, necessitating blood transfusion. The cause of severe acute anemia was thought to be gastrointestinal hemorrhage. It should be noted that hypoadrenocorticism can lead to potentially fatal anemia with gastrointestinal tract bleeding, and blood transfusion may be required.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31748437/