title: Echinocytosis associated with rattlesnake envenomation in dogs.
abstract: A retrospective study of 28 cases of rattlesnake bites in dogs indicated an association of envenomation with echinocytosis; 25/28 dogs (89%) had echinocytosis within 24 hours of a rattlesnake bite being reported. Eighteen of the 28 dogs had marked type III echinocytosis (95-100% of mature erythrocytes affected), and seven dogs had moderate echinocytosis (15-30% of mature erythrocytes affected). The echinocytosis was transient, resolving within 48 hours of envenomation in those for which subsequent blood films were available (13/25). Hypokalemia was noted in 14 of 18 dogs for which biochemical data were available. The hypokalemia was not consistently associated with echinocytosis. The observation of echinocytosis in dogs supports a clinical diagnosis of rattlesnake envenomation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Colorado State University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Fort Collins.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Wingfield
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Walton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017839:Crotalus; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012909:Snake Bites / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*