Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Platelet vacuoles linked to severe anemia in a dog
By Pieczarka, Emily M et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2014·Department of Veterinary Biosciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Platelet vacuoles in a dog with severe nonregenerative anemia: evidence of platelet autophagy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 13-year-old neutered male English Springer Spaniel was brought to the vet because he had severe anemia, which means his blood had a low number of red blood cells. A blood test showed that about half of his platelets had unusual clear vacuoles, indicating a process called autophagy, where cells break down their own components. This case highlights a rare finding in dog platelets that hasn't been widely reported before. The dog received treatment for his anemia, and while the abstract does not specify the outcome, identifying the issue is an important step in managing his health.
People also search for: dog severe anemia treatment · English Springer Spaniel blood problems · dog platelet issues
Abstract
A 13-year-old neutered male English Springer Spaniel was presented to The Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center for evaluation of severe anemia. Upon blood smear review, approximately 50% of the platelets contained single to multiple variably sized clear vacuoles. Transmission electron microscopy of the platelets revealed hallmark features of autophagy, including membrane-lined vesicles and vacuoles containing membrane whorls and degrading organelles. While autophagy has been demonstrated in a wide range of eukaryotic cells for decades, reports of platelet autophagy are lacking. This case report illustrates atypical platelet vacuolation with electron microscopic features characteristic of autophagy.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24976524/