Korean J Vet Res.  2022 Jun;62(2):e12. 10.14405/kjvr.20210051.

Pseudohyperkalemia after total splenectomy in a dog: a case report

• Moon CH
• Lee JH
• Jeong YJ
• Kwon YS
• Lee HB
• Kim DH
• Jeong SM

• KMID: 2531769
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14405/kjvr.20210051

Abstract

A 16-year-old, 7.4 kg, castrated male Cocker Spaniel presenting anorexia and weight loss was referred due to a splenic mass, and total splenectomy was performed to resolve clinical signs. Following surgery, the dog developed mild hyperkalemia (6.27 mmol/L) without any clinical symptoms. Further investigations were conducted to determine the cause of hyperkalemia. The serum-plasma potassium difference was measured (1.05 mmol/L), and pseudohyperkalemia was diagnosed. The cause of pseudohyperkalemia was considered as thrombocytosis after splenectomy. The dog did not receive any specific treatment to lower blood potassium. To our knowledge, we report the first case of post-splenectomy pseudohyperkalemia in a dog.

Keyword

dogs; hyperkalemia; pseudohyperkalemia; splenectomy; thrombocytosis