Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Flat-coated retrievers with spleen cancer causing anemia and low
By Dobson, J et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2006·Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Histiocytic sarcoma of the spleen in flat-coated retrievers with regenerative anaemia and hypoproteinaemia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Four flat-coated retrievers were brought in for symptoms including anemia (low red blood cells) and low protein levels in their blood. Despite tests, the vets couldn't find a source of bleeding, but all dogs had enlarged spleens that looked abnormal on ultrasound. Eventually, they were diagnosed with histiocytic sarcoma, a type of cancer affecting the spleen and other tissues. One dog had surgery to remove the spleen, which confirmed the diagnosis. Unfortunately, this type of cancer can be serious, and the dogs may need further treatment and monitoring.
People also search for: flat-coated retriever anemia symptoms · dog spleen cancer treatment · histiocytic sarcoma in dogs
Abstract
Three flat-coated retrievers with a regenerative anaemia were examined. They were hypoproteinaemic suggesting that the anaemia might be due to blood loss, but it was not possible to identify a site of haemorrhage. All three had splenomegaly with splenic abnormalities apparent on ultrasonography. Ultimately all three animals were shown to have a histiocytic sarcoma involving the spleen and other tissues. A fourth flat-coated retriever with anaemia, hypoproteinaemia and an abdominal mass was also diagnosed with a histiocytic sarcoma of the spleen following splenectomy. It is postulated that the dogs' anaemia was due to erythrophagocytosis, either directly by neoplastic cells or by reactive macrophages.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16782856/