title: Erythrocyte fragility and chronic intermittent pigmenturia in a dog.
abstract: A 2-year-old spayed female Shetland Sheepdog had recurrent episodes of discolored urine. Treatments administered for presumed urinary tract infection did not prevent recurrence. Episodes of pigmenturia appeared to correlate with stressful situations or excessive activity. Examination of urine sediment consistently revealed that RBC were not evident, despite a positive result for blood on urinalysis. This was suggestive of hemoglobinuria, and diagnostic testing was instituted to determine the underlying cause. Results of alkaline and osmotic fragility tests were useful in determining that an increase in erythrocyte fragility was the underlying cause of the recurrent pigmenturia. Erythrocyte fragility testing should be considered in animals that do not respond to appropriate treatments for pigmenturia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Companion Animal and Special Species Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27606, USA.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: LeGrange
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Breitschwerdt
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Grindem
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beutler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000652:urine; D004285:Dogs; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D006456:Hemoglobinuria / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000652:urine / Q000662:veterinary*; D009996:Osmotic Fragility; D010732:Phosphofructokinase-1 / Q000097:blood; D005082:Physical Exertion; D012008:Recurrence; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D010732:Phosphofructokinase-1