Cobalamin Deficiency in a Border Collie

A 3-year-old, intact male Border collie was referred to the Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion animals of utrecht university because of pale mucous mem- branes, tachycardia, lethargy, elevated temperature, enlarged lymph nodes, skin infec- tion, diarrhea and lethargy. Biochemistry and CBC revealed hypoglycemia, neutropenia and anemia. additional findings were a bacterial cystitis and an elevated cpLi.

The dog was treated symptomatically (infusion, glucose and antibiotics) and recovered clinically, but he still had a non-regenerative anemia.

Four weeks later, the dog presented with hypovolemic shock after another episode of diarrhea. With iV infusion therapy, the dog completely recovered, but still had a non-re- generative anemia. additional, a toxocara canis infection was found and treated.

To work out non-regenerative anemia additional blood examination was performed, after bone marrow biopsy revealed no diagnosis, with measuring the serum cobalamine concentration. Cobalamine was 32 pmol/l (reference range: 166 - 635 pmol/l).

In Border collies four case reports are described with cobalamine deficiency causing unspecific signs and a non-regenerative anemia (america, Great Britain and Switzer- land) 1,2,3,4 . a selective intestinal cobalamine malabsorption is suspected, as only parenteral treatment is successful.

Parenteral treatment caused a complete improvement; the dog did not have periods of diarrhea anymore, he was more energetic and the hematocrit returned within the refer- ence range.

In Border Collies with non-regenerative anemia and unspecific clinical signs cobalamine deficiency should be taken into account. the diagnosis is suspected with low serum cobalamine concentration and can be supported by other abnormalities like erythrob- lastemia and methylmalonic aciduria. administration of lifelong parenteral cobalamine resolves clinical symptoms and restores laboratory abnormalities.