What can induce a hemolytic crisis in a dog with PFK deficiency?

A hemolytic crisis in a dog with phosphofructokinase (PFK) deficiency can be induced by exercise. This is because PFK deficiency is a hereditary condition that affects the glycolytic pathway, leading to inadequate energy production in red blood cells during high-intensity activities. When a dog with this condition engages in exercise, the increased metabolic demands can overwhelm the compromised energy production capability, leading to hemolysis of the red blood cells.

During exercise, muscles require rapid energy, which the compromised cells cannot provide efficiently due to the metabolic defect. This results in the destruction of the red blood cells, causing a hemolytic crisis characterized by anemia and other related symptoms.

In contrast, other factors such as rest, cold weather, or heat exposure do not exert the same acute metabolic demand on the dog's red blood cells and therefore are less likely to trigger a crisis. While extreme environmental conditions may have other physiological effects, exercise stands out as the direct trigger for hemolytic issues in dogs with PFK deficiency due to the high energetic requirements it imposes.