Abstract
Extremely elevated serum potassium levels were detected in a healthy Shiba breed dog and a mixed Shiba breed dog with pyometra. They received no drugs prior to blood examination, and had normal ACTH stimulation test results and BUN concentration. Pseudohyperkalemia, secondary to high potassium erythrocytes, was diagnosed in these dogs by measuring red cell potassium content.
Secondary, red cell potassium and sodium content were measured in another 16 Shiba breed dogs and 18 nonindigenous pure breed control dogs to know the frequency of high potassium erythrocytes in Shiba breed dogs. Four of 16 (25%) Shiba breed dogs had high potassium erythrocytes. On the other hand, red cell potassium content of the remaining 12 Shiba breed dogs that had low potassium erythrocytes was significantly (p<0.001) higher than that of the control dogs, whereas there were no significant differences in sodium content between these two groups. We could not make clear the cause of this difference in potassium content.
