Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Two dogs got Heinz body anemia after eating Catalan spring onions
By R. Guitart et al.·Published in Veterinární Medicína·2008·Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain, CZ·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Heinz body anaemia in two dogs after Catalan spring onion ("calcot") ingestion: a case report
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs developed serious health issues after eating Catalan spring onions, known as "calcots." They both showed signs of hemolytic anemia, which means their red blood cells were breaking down, leading to weakness and other symptoms. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for this type of poisoning, so it's important for pet owners to be cautious and keep these onions away from their pets. Awareness of the risks associated with calcots is crucial, as they are appealing to dogs but can cause significant harm.
People also search for: dog anemia symptoms · what to do if my dog ate onions · calcots poisoning in dogs
Abstract
Catalan spring onions, or "calcots", are a very popular kind of vegetables obtained by special agronomic practices that avoid photosynthesis and subsequent metabolism by the Allium cepa plants. They have been considered for more than a century harmless for pets, as pleasant odour and sweet taste differ so largely from any other onion that can be ingested by children and adults in huge quantities, up to ~3% body weight, without problems being observed. However, the organosulphur chemicals responsible for oxidative damage to canine red blood cells found in this plant species seem to remain present, as two dogs were confirmed to be poisoned after eating left-over "calcots". Both patients presented haemolytic anaemia with Heinz body formation, and eccentrocytosis. Veterinarians and owners should be aware of the dangers associated with this particular onion variety and type, as it is highly palatable to pets and no effective treatment is currently available.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.17221/1990-VETMED