Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog developed large red blood cells from hydroxyurea cancer treatment
By Conrado, Francisco O et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2017·Department of Physiological Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Macrocytosis secondary to hydroxyurea therapy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old male neutered Shetland Sheepdog was taken to the vet for a well-granulated mast cell tumor, and he started treatment with hydroxyurea, a chemotherapy drug. After six months, blood tests showed that his red blood cells were larger than normal (macrocytosis) and he had mild anemia, but there were no signs of his body trying to produce more red blood cells. Once the hydroxyurea was stopped, his blood cell size returned to normal. This case highlights that macrocytosis can occur in dogs receiving hydroxyurea treatment, and it’s important for pet owners to be aware of this side effect.
People also search for: dog mast cell tumor treatment · hydroxyurea side effects in dogs · macrocytosis in dogs
Abstract
A 10-year-old, male neutered Shetland Sheepdog was presented to the University of Florida for evaluation of a well-granulated mast cell tumor. Hydroxyurea therapy was instituted and serial CBCs showed persistent mild anemia and macrocytosis without a corresponding increase in polychromasia. The dog's MCV increased progressively, reaching its highest value of 100.0 fL after 6 months of treatment, and a diagnosis of macrocytosis associated with hydroxyurea therapy was made. The dog's increase in MCV was prominent, and rapidly decreased after the drug was discontinued, consistent with previous observations in human and canine subjects treated with hydroxyurea. Hydroxyurea is a cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent used in a variety of conditions in human and veterinary medicine, and megaloblastic changes associated with its use have been described in multiple species. This report shows that hydroxyurea treatment is a differential diagnosis for prominent macrocytosis in dogs in the absence of other signs of erythrocyte regeneration.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28582589/