[What is your diagnosis? Iron deficiency anemia due to intestinal blood loss]

Iron lack anemia due to chronic blood loss was diagnosed in a 12 year old dog based on typical hematological abnormalities including moderate regenerative anemia (Hct 21%) and microcytosis (MCV 39 fl). Clinical abnormalities included weakness and episodic vomiting. Chronic occult blood loss in adult dogs most commonly occurs in the gastrointestinal tract associated with ulcus or neoplasia. Possible diagnostic steps include radiographs, abdominal ultrasound, gastroduodenoscopy and exploratory laparotomy. In the dog of this report gastric and duodenal adenocarcinomata were found during necropsy confirming the clinical suspicion of a bleeding gastrointestinal malignancy.