Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with kidney cancer and high red blood cell count symptoms
By Crow, S E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·1995·Sacramento Animal Medical Group, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Concurrent renal adenocarcinoma and polycythemia in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 19-month-old female Rhodesian Ridgeback was brought in with symptoms like lethargy and unusual brick-red gums. The vet found a large mass in her abdomen and signs of cancer in her kidneys, along with a high red blood cell count caused by the tumor producing too much erythropoietin, a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production. Unfortunately, this case highlights a rare and aggressive form of kidney cancer that can occur even in young dogs. Treatment options would typically involve addressing the cancer, but the specifics were not detailed in the report.
People also search for: dog kidney cancer symptoms · Rhodesian Ridgeback lethargy · dog high red blood cell count treatment
Abstract
Concurrent renal adenocarcinoma and polycythemia were diagnosed in a 19-month-old, female Rhodesian ridgeback. An unusually early presentation for this neoplasm, it is the second reported case of renal adenocarcinoma in a dog less than two years of age. Concurrent renal adenocarcinoma and polycythemia have been reported previously in four older dogs. In the dog of this report, clinical signs included brick-red mucous membranes, lethargy, a periodic systolic heart murmur, and engorged retinal vessels. A large retroperitoneal mass and pulmonary metastatic nodules were present at the time of diagnosis. Red blood cell count, packed cell volume, and hemoglobin concentration were greatly increased (12,940,000 red blood cells/microliter; 73.2%; and 26.6 g/dl, respectively). Histopathological diagnosis was renal adenocarcinoma. Polycythemia was the result of excessive erythropoietin production by the neoplasm.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7820761/