Kevin O'Brien

An 8‐month‐old, female toy poodle and a 5‐year‐3‐month‐old, male, neutered Bernese Mountain dog presented with acute onset, progressive neurological deficits. Neurological examination findings were consistent with multifocal forebrain, brainstem and potential C1–C5 spinal cord segment involvement in both dogs. The toy poodle had a packed cell volume of 85% on presentation, and rapidly deteriorated to cardiopulmonary arrest. Postmortem examination revealed multifocal leptomeningeal, white and grey matter haemorrhage. Femoral bone marrow analysis revealed 95%:5% haematopoietic:fat ratio (reference value: 80%:20%). The Bernese Mountain dog had an initial packed cell volume of 81%. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head identified multifocal cerebral haemorrhage. The erythrocytosis was believed to be secondary to marked bilateral nephropathy. Following two phlebotomies, the packed cell volume decreased to 78%. However, the dog deteriorated and had a cardiopulmonary arrest. We report two clinical cases in which erythrocytosis was the cause of rapid and severe neurological deterioration.

Background After a strong epidemiological link to diet was established in an outbreak of pancytopenia in cats in spring 2021 in the United Kingdom, 3 dry diets were recalled. Concentrations of the hemato‐ and myelotoxic mycotoxins T‐2, HT‐2 and diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) greater than the European Commission guidance for dry cat foods were detected in the recalled diets. Objectives To describe clinical and clinicopathological findings in cats diagnosed with suspected diet induced pancytopenia. Animals Fifty cats presenting with pancytopenia after exposure to a recalled diet. Methods Multicenter retrospective case series study. Cats with known exposure to 1 of the recalled diets were included if presented with bi‐ or pancytopenia and underwent bone marrow examination. Results Case fatality rate was 78%. Bone marrow aspirates and biopsy examination results were available in 23 cats; 19 cats had a bone marrow aspirate, and 8 cats had a biopsy core, available for examination. Bone marrow hypo to aplasia—often affecting all cell lines—was the main feature in all 31 available core specimens. A disproportionately pronounced effect on myeloid and megakaryocytic cells was observed in 19 cats. Myelofibrosis or bone marrow necrosis was not a feature. Conclusion and Clinical Importance Mycotoxin induced pancytopenia should be considered as differential diagnosis in otherwise healthy cats presenting with bi‐ or pancytopenia and bone marrow hypo‐ to aplasia.