Seventeen dogs with
chronic renal failure (CRF) were studied to evaluate the incidence, type, and etiology of
anemia in CRF. A nonregenerative, normochromic, normocytic
anemia was seen in 12 of 17 dogs (70.6%). There was a direct correlation between the degree of
anemia and the extent of CRF as assessed by serum
creatinine concentrations (P = .0386, r = .50923). Erythrocyte concentrations of
2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) were significantly increased in anemic animals and showed a close correlation to the degree of
anemia. The high DPG concentrations may compensate for the
anemia by decreasing the
hemoglobin-
oxygen affinity and thereby facilitating tissue oxygenation at low hematocrits. Serum concentrations of
erythropoietin (Epo) were in the low to normal range, despite mild to moderate
anemia, documenting a deficiency of Epo in dogs with CRF. The nonregenerative nature of the
anemia supports impaired hematopoiesis as a significant etiologic factor. Other factors, such as increases in serum
parathyroid hormone and
phosphorus, were not found to correlate significantly with the degree of
anemia, although there were significant differences between their concentrations in anemic compared with non-anemic dogs. There was no change in erythrocyte osmotic fragility with
uremia. The documentation of a nonregenerative, normochromic, normocytic
anemia, with failure of an appropriate increase in Epo production, supports the
therapeutic use of Epo in the management of the
anemia seen in CRF in the dog.