title: Nucleated erythrocytes in blood smears of dogs undergoing chemotherapy.
abstract: The frequency of normoblastemia in dogs receiving chemotherapy is unknown. To provide this information, we calculated the percentage and number of nucleated erythrocytes (nRBCs) in blood of dogs treated for lymphoma (n = 284), mast cell tumour (n = 40) or carcinoma (n = 46). Relative normoblastemia (>1 or >5%) and absolute normoblastemia (>0.1 or >0.4 × 103µL-1) were found after administration of vincristine (49.3, 20.5, 42.5, 19.2%, respectively), carboplatin (37.0, 2.2, 34.8, 13.0%), cyclophosphamide (30.8, 7.7, 23.1, 7.7%), doxorubicin (25.0, 8.3, 21.7, 6.7%), vinblastine and prednisone (25.0; 5.0; 22.5; 7.5%). Absolute normoblastemia was very severe (>1.0 × 103nRBC µL-1) after administration of vincristine (9.6%), doxorubicin (3.3%), vinblastine and prednisone (2.5%). Absolute normoblastemia negatively correlated with RBC counts (P < 0.001) and positively (P < 0.001) with reticulocyte and WBC counts, but correlation coefficients were low (-0.19, 0.37, 0.15). Vincristine, doxorubicin or vinblastine and prednisone may induce severe normoblastemia. This may increase WBC counts and mask neutropenia associated with chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.|Central Laboratory, University Teaching Hospital, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moretti
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.|Central Laboratory, University Teaching Hospital, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.|Central Laboratory, University Teaching Hospital, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stefanello
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.|Central Laboratory, University Teaching Hospital, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castellano
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.|Central Laboratory, University Teaching Hospital, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paltrinieri
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D004285:Dogs; D004900:Erythroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007558:Italy; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D008415:Mastocytosis / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: chemotherapy; dog; leukopenia; normoblastemia