Serum erythropoietin concentration is higher in healthy brachycephalic dogs than nonbrachycephalic dogs acclimated to 1,535 meters altitude.

Healthy brachycephalic dogs have significantly higher serum EPO concentrations than non-brachycephalic dogs at altitude.

This prospective observational study investigated the relationships between arterial oxygen tension (PaO2), erythropoietin (EPO), and hemoglobin (Hgb) concentrations in healthy brachycephalic (BRACHY, n=22) and non-brachycephalic (non-BRACHY, n=32) dogs acclimatized to 1,535 meters altitude. Venous samples were collected for CBC, serum biochemistry, and EPO measurement, while arterial samples were obtained from the dorsal pedal artery. A human quantitative EPO ELISA kit was validated for canine use via recombinant canine EPO spiking and linearity testing, and demonstrated acceptable analytical performance. Key findings revealed that EPO concentrations were significantly higher in BRACHY dogs compared to non-BRACHY dogs, suggesting that chronic upper airway obstruction associated with brachycephalic conformation may stimulate erythropoietic drive. A moderate negative correlation was identified between PaO2 and Hgb across all dogs and within the BRACHY subgroup alone, consistent with compensatory erythrocytosis in response to lower oxygen tension. However, no significant correlation between PaO2 and EPO was detected in either group, leaving the mechanistic link between hypoxia, EPO secretion, and erythrocyte production incompletely characterized. The authors conclude that further research is needed to clarify the physiologic adaptations occurring in dogs exposed to hypobaric hypoxia at altitude and those experiencing chronic hypoxia secondary to brachycephalic conformation. These findings have potential implications for understanding hematologic baselines and respiratory physiology in brachycephalic breeds.

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