A retrospective study of 180 anaemic cats: features, aetiologies and survival data

Abstract

The study comprised 180 anaemic cats. Descriptive and survival data were obtained. Cats were classified by aetiology of anaemia development and degenerative, anomalous, metabolic, miscellaneous, neoplastic, infectious, inflammatory, immune-mediated, toxic, traumatic or vascular disease (DAMNITV) classification and anaemia severity. Sixty-four (35.6%) cats had mild [packed cell volume (PCV)/haematocrit (HCT) 20–24.9%], 58 (32.2%) moderate (14–19.9%), 23 (12.8%) severe (11–13.9%) and 35 (19.4%) very severe (<10.9%) anaemia. By aetiology of anaemia development, bone marrow (BM) abnormalities were more common (95, 52.8%) than haemorrhage (37, 20.6%) or haemolysis (19, 10.6%). By DAMNITV classification, infectious diseases were more common (39, 21.7%) than neoplasia (36, 20%), metabolic (21, 11.7%), trauma (15, 8.3%), miscellaneous (14, 7.8%), inflammatory (11, 6.1%), immune-mediated (11, 6.1%), anomalous (8, 4.4%), toxic (2, 1.1%) or vascular disease (1, 0.6%). BM abnormalities were significantly associated with more severe anaemia ( P = 0.003). Most cats (112, 62.2%) survived to discharge whereas 55 (30.6%) were euthanased and 13 (7.2%) died. Survival to discharge was not associated with anaemia severity but was associated significantly with aetiology of anaemia development ( P = 0.046), as cats with haemolysis were more likely to survive to discharge than cats with BM abnormalities. Survival to discharge was also associated significantly with DAMNITV classification ( P = 0.010), with cats with neoplasia being less likely, and cats with immune-mediated disease more likely, to survive to discharge. Cox regression analysis found that survival was not associated with anaemia severity, but was associated with DAMNITV classification ( P = 0.011) and age ( P = 0.082), with cats with immune-mediated disease and younger cats more likely to survive.