Prevalence and clinical relevance of hypercobalaminaemia in dogs and cats

Stefanie Kather; Lea Sielski; Franziska Dengler; Anika Jirasek; Romy M Heilmann

doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2020.105547

Prevalence and clinical relevance of hypercobalaminaemia in dogs and cats

Vet J. 2020 Nov:265:105547. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2020.105547. Epub 2020 Sep 18.

Authors

Stefanie Kather¹, Lea Sielski², Franziska Dengler³, Anika Jirasek⁴, Romy M Heilmann⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department for Small Animals, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 23, DE-04103 Leipzig, SN, Germany; Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 7, DE-04103 Leipzig, SN, Germany. Electronic address: Stefanie.kather@kleintierklinik.uni-leipzig.de.
² Department for Small Animals, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 23, DE-04103 Leipzig, SN, Germany; Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 7, DE-04103 Leipzig, SN, Germany.
³ Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 7, DE-04103 Leipzig, SN, Germany.
⁴ IDEXX Laboratories, Mörikestrasse 28, Ludwigsburg, DE-71636, BW, Germany.
⁵ Department for Small Animals, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 23, DE-04103 Leipzig, SN, Germany.

PMID: 33129556
DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2020.105547

Abstract

Hypocobalaminaemia is common in dogs and cats with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and/or chronic enteropathy. While hypocobalaminaemia has been extensively studied, naturally-occurring serum hypercobalaminaemia (i.e. without supplementation) might be an underestimated finding in small animal medicine. Studies in human medicine have associated hypercobalaminaemia with neoplastic, hepatic and renal disease. Medical records of all dogs and cats with serum cobalamin concentration measurements (2007-2019) were retrospectively analysed; any that had received supplemental cobalamin were excluded from the analysis. Of 654 dogs, 3% (n = 21) were hypercobalaminaemic (median serum cobalamin concentration, 1307 ng/L [965 pmol/L]; range, 914-3561 ng/L [675-2628 pmol/L]). Chronic gastrointestinal signs were common in hypercobalaminaemic dogs (48%). Two of the 21 hypercobalaminaemic dogs were diagnosed with hypoadrenocorticism. Of 323 cats, 11% (n = 34) were hypercobalaminaemic (median serum cobalamin concentration, 1713 ng/L [1264 pmol/L]; range, 1370-3107 ng/L [1011-2293 pmol/L]). The following comorbidities were diagnosed in hypercobalaminaemic cats: chronic enteropathy, 65% (n = 22); acute or chronic pancreatitis, 24% (n = 8); cholangiohepatopathy, 18% (n = 6); gastric lymphoma, 6% (n = 2); and 3% hyperthyroidism (n = 1). Naturally-occurring increased serum cobalamin concentrations occurred infrequently in cats and even less often in dogs. Since hypercobalaminaemia can occur in dogs and cats with severe inflammatory, immune-mediated, and neoplastic conditions, it should not be ignored.

Keywords: Canine; Cobalamin; Feline; Gastrointestinal; Vitamin B(12).

MeSH terms

Adrenal Insufficiency / blood
Adrenal Insufficiency / veterinary
Animals
Cat Diseases / blood*
Cats
Dog Diseases / blood*
Dogs
Gastrointestinal Diseases / blood
Gastrointestinal Diseases / veterinary
Hyperthyroidism / blood
Hyperthyroidism / veterinary
Pancreatitis / blood
Pancreatitis / veterinary
Retrospective Studies
Vitamin B 12 / blood*

Substances

Vitamin B 12