Canine reticulocyte hemoglobin content (RET-He) in different types of iron-deficient erythropoiesis

Reticulocyte hemoglobin content (RET-He) is a diagnostic marker for iron deficiency (ID) in people and dogs.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical utility of RET-He in the diagnosis of different causes of iron-deficient erythropoiesis (IDE).

Canine CBCs were separated into 2 groups according to RET-He values, < 20.9 pg or ≥ 20.9 pg. Erythrocyte and reticulocyte variables were compared between dogs with decreased and normal RET-He values. Additional data for a subgroup of dogs were collected, and dogs with low RET-He values were categorized as having ID, inflammatory disorders (INFL), portosystemic shunt (PSS), miscellaneous diseases (MISC), or combinations of these diseases (ID+INFL, ID+PSS). Hematologic variables were compared between dogs of the different disease groups.

Overall, 10.3% (1084/10,553) of canine CBCs showed decreased RET-He values. Significant differences between dogs with decreased and normal RET-He values were found for all erythrocyte and reticulocyte variables. The majority (68.9%, 747/1084) of dogs with low RET-He values was anemic; 28.9% (216/747) of those anemic dogs had microcytosis and hypochromasia. In the subgroup of dogs, 8.9% (205/2306) had low RET-He values. According to their diagnosed diseases, anemic dogs (138/205) could be categorized as ID (17/138; 12.3%), INFL (16/138; 11.6%), PSS (30/138; 21.7%), ID+INFL (63/138; 45.7%), ID+PSS (8/138; 5.8%), and MISC (4/138; 2.9%). Distribution in nonanemic dogs (67/205) was similar, except for a lower number of dogs with PSS.

Low RET-He values indicate IDE even in dogs with other CBC variables within the RIs.