Persistent neutropenias can occur after granulopoiesis disturbances caused by myelosupressive or myelotoxic effects, and predispose patients to infections and impairs their survival. Furthermore, severe chemotherapy-induced neutropenias must require temporary or definitive treatment interruption, what may lead to drug-resistance of neoplastic cells. The use of recombinant stem cell factors in animals has been increasing due to its bigger disponibility for human beings. The human recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) increases neutrophil numbers in peripheral blood and has great potential to alleviate or revert myelotoxic or myelosupression neutropenias in dogs and cats.
G-CSF; neutrophils; granulopoiesis; neutropenia