Introduction to anemia

A decrease in hematocrit or PCV is defined as what?

Anemia

You take a CBC of a dog and see that it has abnormally high reticulocytes alongside a low hematocrit this would indicate the anemia as what?

regenerative

You take a CBC of a dog and see that it has abnormally low reticulocytes alongside a low hematocrit this would indicate the anemia as what?

non regenerative

what are the two most common causes for regenerative anemia

• hemorrhage

• hemolysis

what are common causes for non regenerative anemia

• chronic disease

• chronic kidney disease

• bone marrow disease

in what species is reticulocyte count the most useful

• dogs

• cats

reticulocyte response in cows, sheep, and goats can be ________

variable

Instead of using reticulocytes in horses use __________ instead

serial MCV

how long does it take to detect a reticulocyte response after hemorrhage or hemolysis in most species

3-5 days

when using RBC indices to classify anemia what is most helpful

• MCV

• MCHC

Based on RBC indices regenerative anemia are often ___________ and _________

• moacrocytic

• hypochromic

Based on RBC indices non-regenerative anemia are often ___________ and _________

• normocytic

• normochromic

Based on RBC indices iron anemias are often ___________ and _________

• microcytic

• hypochromic

Where would you see anemia that is macrocytic and normochromic

in horses with regenerative anemia

what are the two types of hemorrhages that can occur

• internal

• external

what are the two types of hemolysis can occur

• extravascular

• intravascular

in which from of anemia regenerative or nonregenerative would a blood smear be most helpful

regenerative

Iron for RBC production is obtained via __________ RBCs in the body

recycling

In veterinary medicine Iron deficiency is always due to ___________

chronic blood loss

in what regenerative anemia cause is there not change in the PCV initially

hemorrhage

With external blood loss you should see a decrease in _________ and __________

• PCV

• TP

with internal blood loss you should see a decrease in __________ and a possible normal _______

• PCV

• TP

Why in internal blood loss would you see a normal TP

the body is good at reabsorbing proteins

what types of blood cells would you expect to see on a blood smear in a dog with regenerative anemia caused by hemorrhage

• polychromasia

• anisocytosis

• nRBCs

• HJ bodies

• basophilic stippling

besides external blood loss what are other ways to get iron deficiency anemia

• parasites

• ulcers

what types of blood cells would you expect to see on a blood smear in a dog with iron deficiency anemia

• anisocytosis

• keratocytes

• blister cells

• target cells

Extravascular hemolysis takes place in the __________

spleen

intravascular hemolysis takes place inside the ___________

blood vessel

when a macrophage consumes a red blood cell it converts _________ to _________

• heme

• unconjugated bilirubin

Because of the increased heme in the blood intravascular hemolysis causes ________________

prehepatic bilirubinemia

caused by either intra or extravascular hemolysis this causes the patient to have yellow mucus membranes

hyperbilirubinemia

Extravascular hemolysis can take place in what areas of the body

• spleen

• liver

• lymph nodes

what are some common causes of hemolytic anemia

• immune mediated

• oxidative damage

• infectious agents

• environmental

• intrinsic RBC defects

Immune mediated hemolytic anemia typically causes what type of hemolysis

extravascular hemolysis

what are clinical signs of immune mediated hemolytic anemia caused by extravascular hemolysis

• pale membranes

• icteric membranes

what are clinical signs of immune mediated hemolytic anemia caused by intravascularr hemolysis

reddish brown urine

common pathogenesis of immune mediated hemolytic anemia leaves you finding two types of blood cell in the blood smear

• spherocytes

• agglutination

a good way to test for immune mediated hemolytic anemia uses the ________ test which relies on __________

• combs

• antibodies

hemolysis caused by oxidation would cause what type of blod cell formation

• ecentrocyte

• Heinz bodies

• methemoglobin

because of oxidative damage what process increases on blood cells in the body

phagocytosis by macrophages