From the Doctors’ Files: Dog is Surviving Rare Bone Disease

Posted on June 2, 2009 by holly obrien dvm

Banfield, The Pet Hospital, Bend, OR

This case was long and drawn out but had rewarding results. A six-year-old spayed Dachsund was originally brought in to us for licking the carpet and eating dirt. Upon examination, the Pet was noted to be very anemic. Following three blood transfusions and many consultations with specialists, it was deemed an “unusual case of immune mediated hemolytic anemia” (a relatively common syndrome in dogs where the immune system becomes active against normal cells or parts of the body, or against normal cells that have been altered by exposure to infectious agents, medications, or other disease processes in the body).

Due to the Pet’s unusual presentation and fair response to treatment, I encouraged the owners to allow us to do a bone marrow biopsy. The results showed a rare bone disease called Myelofibrosis. Myelofibrosis is the gradual replacement of bone marrow (place where most new blood cells are produced) by fibrous tissue which reduces the body’s ability to produce new blood cells and results in the development of chronic anemia (low red blood cell count). This disease is not a cancer of the bone marrow.

We administered EPO (erythropoiten), which stimulates marrow production and then started giving the necessary injections for sustaining blood cell count. At this time, we are in the early stages of treatment but the Dachsund has now survived 9 months since her initial visit. She is currently taking immunosuppressants. She continues to do quite well even in the face of chronic anemia. Her pack cell volume decreases with time, which means that when the anemia starts to become severe, we will once again transfuse her.

We continue to work for the best possible outcome.



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