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 Animal Cancer Center Colorado State University Ft Collins CO USA, United States·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Disease distribution in canine patients with acanthocytosis: 123 cases
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old Golden Retriever was brought in for a blood test after showing signs of weakness and lethargy. The tests revealed the presence of abnormally shaped red blood cells called acanthocytes, which can be linked to various health issues. While many dogs with acanthocytosis had cancer, such as hemangiosarcoma, others had non-cancerous conditions like gastrointestinal or kidney problems. The study suggests that finding acanthocytes in a dog's blood doesn't automatically mean they have cancer, and further testing is needed to determine the exact cause.
People also search for: dog weakness and lethargy · acanthocytosis in dogs · dog blood test results · signs of kidney disease in dogs · hemangiosarcoma symptoms in dogs
Abstract
BackgroundAn 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.ObjectivesThe purpose of the study was to determine what disease processes are associated with the presence of acanthocytes in the peripheral blood of dogs.MethodsMedical 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.ResultsA 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.ConclusionAcanthocytosis 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 Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.12097