Rare red blood cell abnormalities
Giger U, Smith BF, Rajpurohit WP. 1992. Inherited erhythrocyte disorders. ACVIM- Proceedings of the 10th Annual Veterinary Medical Forum:142-145.
Harvey JW. 1995. Congenital hemolytic anemias and methemoglobinemias. ACVIM-Proceedings of the 13th Annual Veterinary Medical Forum:37-40.
There is information on some of these disorders in: Sargan DR. IDID - Inherited diseases in dogs:web-based information for canine inherited disease genetics.
Pyruvate kinase deficiency and phosphofructokinase deficiency are two clinically important red blood cell disorders that are discussed elsewhere in this database.
The disorders listed below are associated with abnormalities of the red blood cells. Most of these abnormalities will have no impact on your dog's health but may show up during blood tests. They are listed here mainly for the information of veterinarians. These disorders are all very rare.
Abnormality | Breeds affected (RARE) | Special tests | Clinical features |
glucose-6-phophate dehydrogenase deficiency | Weimaraner | G6PD activity reduced | none |
high potassium erythrocytes | Akita | increased rbc and serum potassium | none, pseudohyperkalemia |
familial microcytosis | Akita | microcytosis | none |
familial macrocytosis and dyshematopoiesis | miniature and toy poodle | macrocytosis | none (gingivitis) |
familial nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia | beagle | reticulocytosis | none to mild anemia |
congenital methemoglobinemia | several breeds | determination of methemoglobin | usually none other than cyanotic-appearing tongue/mucous membranes |
selective cobalamin malabsorption | giant Schnauzer | low serum cobalamin (B12) | moderate anemia, cachexia, dementia, respond to administration of B12 |
familial nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia | poodle | none, PCV 10-25% | hemolytic anemia, osteosclerosis |
stomatocytosis | Alaskan malamute, miniature Schnauzer | increased fragility of stomatocytes | chondrodysplasia in malamutes |
For many breeds and many disorders, the studies to determine the mode of inheritance or the frequency in the breed have not been carried out, or are inconclusive. The above disorders are seen very rarely in veterinary medicine and, where studies have been carried out, this is usually because of a similarity to a condition in people.
- Disorder Type: