Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Immune-mediated anemia linked to sarcoma in flat-coated retriever
By Mellanby, R J et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2004·Queen's Veterinary School Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia associated with a sarcoma in a flat-coated retriever.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old flat-coated retriever was brought in because it was very tired, had trouble breathing, and wasn’t eating for several days. The vet found pale gums and signs of severe anemia, and X-rays showed a problem in the dog's chest. The owners chose not to pursue further tests, so the dog was treated with medications to suppress the immune system, which helped improve its mood for a while. Unfortunately, the dog had to be euthanized seven weeks later due to worsening symptoms, and a postmortem revealed a widespread cancer affecting multiple organs.
People also search for: dog lethargy and breathing problems · flat-coated retriever anemia treatment · immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs
Abstract
A seven-year-old flat-coated retriever presented with a history of lethargy, dyspnoea and inappetence of several days' duration. Clinical examination revealed pale mucous membranes and tachypnoea, and haematology demonstrated marked autoagglutination. Thoracic radiographs revealed an increased opacity in the perihilar region. The owners declined further evaluation and the dog was treated symptomatically with immunosuppressive doses of prednisolone and azathioprine. The dog's demeanour improved, although it was eventually euthanased seven weeks later because of dysphagia and worsening dyspnoea. Postmortem examination revealed a widespread, poorly differentiated sarcoma involving the lungs, pericardium, thoracic lymph nodes and spleen. Immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia is a well recognised condition in dogs and is occasionally associated with neoplastic conditions. This is the first case report to describe immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia associated with a diffuse, poorly differentiated sarcoma.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14756205/