Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
IV iron sucrose is safe but does not stop anemia in healthy cats
By Ullom-Minnich, Rebecca et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2022·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Intravenous iron sucrose is safe but does not prevent development of anemia or iron deficiency in healthy cats undergoing serial venipuncture.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Five healthy cats were given an intravenous iron supplement called iron sucrose to see if it could prevent anemia or iron deficiency during repeated blood draws. The treatment was well tolerated, with no immediate reactions noted, but some cats still developed signs of iron deficiency and anemia over time. While the iron supplement did not prevent these issues, it did cause a temporary increase in a marker related to inflammation. This suggests that while iron sucrose is safe, it may not be effective in preventing anemia in cats undergoing frequent blood tests.
People also search for: cat anemia treatment · iron deficiency in cats · intravenous iron for cats · healthy cat blood tests · cat iron supplement safety
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate IV iron sucrose safety and impact on hematologic and iron indices in healthy cats. ANIMALS: 5 healthy research cats. PROCEDURES: Cats were administered iron sucrose (0.5 mg/kg, IV) over 30 minutes. Monitoring for acute reactions (temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure) was performed every 5 minutes during injection and every 15 minutes for an additional hour. Baseline, 24-hour, and 1-, 2-, and 3-week postinjection measurements of CBC with reticulocyte indices, iron panel (ferritin, total iron-binding capacity, and iron), calculated transferrin saturation (TSAT), and serum amyloid A (SAA) concentration were performed. RESULTS: No cat experienced an acute drug reaction. SAA concentration was increased at 24 hours versus baseline. TSAT and ferritin decreased over time, with 3 cats developing concurrent functional iron deficiency (FID) and anemia. Hct (Spearman correlation [rs] = 0.805), hemoglobin (rs = 0.770), and reticulocyte hemoglobin content (rs = 0.581) correlated with TSAT. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: IV iron sucrose was well tolerated in healthy cats but was associated with transient increase in the systemic inflammatory marker SAA. Efficacy evaluation of dose based on iron deficit is needed in sick cats. Despite cumulative blood draw volume below recommended limits, anemia and FID were observed, which has important implications for experimental designs and serial hematologic monitoring. Further evaluation of inflammatory response to IV iron sucrose administration is warranted.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35524963/