Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How common is low chloride in dogs and cats and what it means
By Ueda, Yu et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2025·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Retrospective Evaluation of the Prevalence and Prognosis of Hypochloremia in Dogs and Cats.
Plain-English summary
A study found that many dogs and cats had low chloride levels in their blood, which can be a serious health issue. In dogs, about 14% had this condition, while in cats, it was nearly 35%. Animals with low chloride levels had a higher chance of not surviving compared to those with normal levels. The most common health problems linked to low chloride were issues with the urinary system, heart, and digestive tract. This highlights the importance of monitoring chloride levels in pets, especially if they show signs of illness.
People also search for: dog low chloride levels symptoms · cat electrolyte imbalance treatment · why is my dog sick with low chloride
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence, case-fatality rate, and primary disease processes associated with corrected hypochloremia (hypo[Cl]) in dogs and cats. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective study. SETTING: Electronic medical records were reviewed to identify dogs and cats with at least one chloride and sodium concentration measured simultaneously during a 60-month period. ANIMALS: A total of 17,120 dogs and 4197 cats presented to a veterinary teaching hospital. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Measured hypo[Cl] was diagnosed in 23.3% (3981/17,120) dogs and 59.0% (2475/4197) cats. Corrected hypo[Cl] was diagnosed in 13.9% (2388/17,120) dogs and 34.9% (1463/4197) cats. The case-fatality rates were higher in animals with measured and corrected hypo[Cl] than those with normal corrected [Cl] (p < 0.0001). The case-fatality rate was also higher in cats with corrected hypo[Cl] than those with measured hypo[Cl] (p = 0.0002), but they were not different in dogs (p = 0.74). Of the dogs and cats with corrected hypo[Cl], a total of 74.5% (1779/2388) dogs and 74.6% (1091/1463) cats were categorized as prehospital corrected hypo[Cl], and a total of 20.9% (498/2388) dogs and 17.3% (253/1463) cats were categorized as hospital-acquired corrected hypo[Cl]. The case-fatality rates of dogs and cats with hospital-acquired corrected hypo[Cl] were higher than those with prehospital corrected hypo[Cl] (p < 0.0001). Various primary disease processes were identified in animals with corrected hypo[Cl]. Of these, urologic, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal diseases were the three most common disease processes identified in dogs and cats with corrected hypo[Cl]. CONCLUSIONS: Corrected hypo[Cl] was a common electrolyte abnormality and was associated with higher case-fatality rates than normal corrected [Cl]. Various disease processes were associated with corrected hypo[Cl], and closer attention to corrected hypo[Cl] is warranted.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41259353/