ECHINOCYTOSIS ASSOCIATED WITH RATTLESNAKE ENVENOMATION IN DOGS

A retrospective study of 28 cases of rattlesnake bites in dogs indicat ed an association of envenomation with echinocytosis; 25/28 dogs (89%) had echinocytosis within 24 hours of a rattlesnake bite being reporte d. Eighteen of the 28 dogs had marked type III echinocytosis (95-100% of mature erythrocytes affected), and seven dogs had moderate echinocy tosis (15-30% of mature erythrocytes affected). The echinocytosis was transient, resolving within 48 hours of envenomation in those for whic h subsequent blood films were available (13/25). Hypokalemia was noted in 14 of 18 dogs for which biochemical data were available. The hypok alemia was not consistently associated with echinocytosis. The observa tion of echinocytosis in dogs supports a clinical diagnosis of rattles nake envenomation.