Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with primary erythrocytosis treated using onion powder
By Vasilatis, Demitria M et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2021·University of California-Davis, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A novel bone marrow-sparing treatment for primary erythrocytosis in a cat: Onion powder.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old domestic shorthair cat was diagnosed with primary erythrocytosis, a condition causing an excess of red blood cells, which can lead to serious health issues. Traditional treatments like blood draws and chemotherapy can be tough on cats and expensive for owners. In this case, onion powder was used to help break down the excess red blood cells, which is a new approach not previously reported. This treatment could offer a safer and more affordable option for managing this rare condition.
People also search for: cat primary erythrocytosis treatment · onion powder for cats · cat red blood cell disease · affordable cat health treatments
Abstract
Primary erythrocytosis (PE) is a rare myeloproliferative neoplasm in cats resulting in the overproduction of erythrocytes. Current treatment modalities include repeated phlebotomy and chemotherapeutic drugs. These treatments may not be well tolerated by the cat and can present safety and financial challenges to owners. Because of the rarity of PE, prospective studies for new treatment options are difficult to perform. This case report describes the novel use of onion powder in an attempt to produce Heinz body-induced erythrocyte destruction in order to decrease total erythrocyte mass and normalize the hematocrit in a cat with PE. To our knowledge, the use of onion powder in the treatment of PE in cats has never been described before and may have potential as a safe, low-cost, and highly accessible alternative treatment for this rare disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34110655/