Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Diseases linked to abnormal red blood cells in 123 dogs
By Warry, Emma et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2013·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Disease distribution in canine patients with acanthocytosis: 123 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 123 dogs with abnormal red blood cells called acanthocytes (which can indicate various health issues) were studied to find out what diseases they had. Many of these dogs were diagnosed with cancer, particularly hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma, and lymphoma, while others had non-cancerous conditions like gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and kidney diseases. The presence of acanthocytes was not exclusive to cancer, meaning they can appear in various health problems. This suggests that if your dog has acanthocytes, it doesn't automatically mean they have cancer, and further testing is needed to determine the exact issue.
People also search for: dog acanthocytosis causes · dog cancer symptoms · abnormal blood cells in dogs · dog kidney disease signs · dog gastrointestinal problems
Abstract
BACKGROUND: An acanthocyte is an abnormally shaped erythrocyte. In veterinary medicine, acanthocytes have historically been associated with canine hemangiosarcoma. In human medicine, acanthocytes are rarely observed with neoplastic disease and are more commonly associated with a variety of hereditary and acquired diseases. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to determine what disease processes are associated with the presence of acanthocytes in the peripheral blood of dogs. METHODS: Medical records for dogs presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Colorado State University during January 2004 through June 2008 with acanthocytes documented in their CBCs were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 123 dogs were included, 66 of which were diagnosed with neoplastic disease, most commonly hemangiosarcoma (n = 12), osteosarcoma (n = 11), and lymphoma (n = 11). The remaining 57 dogs had nonneoplastic disease, most commonly observed were gastrointestinal (n = 13), musculoskeletal (n = 8), renal (n = 8), and immune-mediated diseases (n = 7). No statistically significant difference was detected between percent acanthocytes present in dogs with neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases. CONCLUSION: Acanthocytosis was observed with a variety of neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases. While clearly commonly associated, the presence of acanthocytes in a blood smear should not be considered pathognomonic for hemangiosarcoma in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24320780/