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Macrocytosis secondary to hydroxyurea therapy
Author(s) -
Conrado Francisco O.,
Weeden Amy L.,
Speas Abbie L.,
Leissinger Mary K.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
veterinary clinical pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.537
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1939-165X
pISSN - 0275-6382
DOI - 10.1111/vcp.12511
Subject(s) - macrocytosis , medicine , anemia , megaloblastic anemia , pharmacotherapy , gastroenterology , immunology
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 CBC s 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.