Red blood cell distribution width may help distinguish canine gastrointestinal lymphoma from chronic inflammatory enteropathy and be a prognostic indicator.
Horita K, Sakuma H, Fukuoka R, Sakamoto M, Ohmi A, Chambers JK, Tomiyasu H, Uchida K, Okuda M · Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association · 18 March 2026
Elevated RDW aids GIL diagnosis and predicts shorter survival in canine lymphoma.
This retrospective cohort study evaluated red blood cell distribution width (RDW) as a diagnostic and prognostic tool for distinguishing canine gastrointestinal lymphoma (GIL) from chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE). Medical records of 116 dogs (56 GIL, 60 CIE) diagnosed via histopathological examination of endoscopic biopsies between 2016-2024 were analyzed. RDW values were significantly elevated in GIL compared to CIE cases, with modest diagnostic utility (AUC 0.63). Both RDW and CCECAI score independently predicted GIL diagnosis. For GIL prognosis, dogs with RDW >18.3% demonstrated significantly shorter median overall survival (134 days). RDW remained an independent prognostic factor in multivariable analysis. The findings suggest RDW may serve as a non-invasive screening tool to support clinical decision-making regarding endoscopic biopsy in suspected GIL cases and provide prognostic information for affected dogs.
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