Acta Vet. Brno 2013, 82: 393-398

https://doi.org/10.2754/avb201382040393

Association of increased erythrocyte osmotic resistance with haematological and histopathological findings in dogs with a congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt

Kristína Řeháková1, Ivana Uhríková1, Leona Raušerová-Lexmaulová2, Jana Lorenzová2, Ladislav Stehlík3, Eva Jánová4, Ondřej Škor5, Jaroslav Doubek1

1University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinical Laboratory, Brno, Czech Republic
2University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Small Animal Clinic, Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics, Brno, Czech Republic
3University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Brno, Czech Republic
4University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Genetics, Brno, Czech Republic
5Veterinary Clinic Bílá Hora, Prague, Czech Republic

The aim of the study was to investigate changes in erythrocyte osmotic resistance in relation to haematological and histological changes in dogs with a congenital portosystemic shunt. Osmotic fragility tests with complete blood counts and liver histological examinations were performed in 12 dogs with single extrahepatic portosystemic shunt confirmed by surgical exploration. Laboratory results were compared with those from 30 healthy dogs. Dogs with portosystemic shunt had a significantly increased erythrocyte osmotic resistance (P < 0.01) with 5%, 50% and 90% haemolysis corresponding to 0.45%, 0.35% and 0.30% NaCl solution, respectively. Statistical analyses revealed no correlation between haematological indicators and the osmotic fragility test results. Increased osmotic resistance was significantly associated with hepatic lipogranulomas. Based on these results, dogs with a congenital portosystemic shunt have a significantly increased erythrocyte osmotic resistance suggesting impaired red blood cell deformability. Osmotic resistance test that until now was not studied in canine hepatopathies seems to be independent of routinely performed haematological tests.

References

12 live references