VETMED)

Microscope

an important tool for analysis of blood smears, fecal samples, and urine sediment samples.

upright binocular light microscope

most commonly used microscope in a veterinary clinic is an

Centrifuge

designed to spin a rotor, which holds the samples, at a specific set speed measured in revolutions per minute (rpm)

Yearly

Centrifuge rotors should be examined______for pitting or warping of the metal

fixed rotors and swinging bucket rotors

two common types of rotors

hemocytometer

specialized chamber with a small precise grid used to perform manual cell counts when cells are suspended in a liquid medium.

Refractometry

analytical method that correlates the degree of light refraction (refractive index) in a liquid with the amount of solids in the liquid.

differential cell counter

allows user to keep track of the cell types observed and the total number of cells examined on a sample slide.

100 cells

The counters are set to indicate when_______are tallied.

Romanowski-type stains and new methylene blue

(NMB) stain.

The most common stains used in veterinary practices are

Diff quick and new methylene blue

Staining procedures

Precleaned

Glass slides used for microscopy need to be_____before packaging to avoid glass shards and greasy substances that accumulate on the slide during the manufacturing process.

Coverslips

needed for wet-mount preparations of fluid samples.

Striped-red- and gray-topped tubes

collect serum; also known as serum separator tubes.

Red-topped tubes

collect serum; does not contain anticoagulant

Purple-topped tubes

collect whole blood; contains ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA);

Blue-topped tubes

contain 3.2% sodium citrate; dilutes the blood sample by 10%

complete blood count

diagnostic test panel that provides clinicians with a large amount of information about a patient’s peripheral blood parameters.

Plasma

comprises approximately 55% of the total blood volume.

clear and colorless

Plasma from cats and dogs should be

clear and light yellow

Plasma from horses

clear and colorless or pale yellow

Plasma from cattle

91.5% water, 7% plasma proteins, 1.5% other molecules

Plasma components

hematopoiesis

Blood cells have a limited life span and are continually being produced by a process called

45% of the total blood volume.

Cells (erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets) comprise approximately

automated hematology analyzer

The most common way to acquire blood cell parameters is by using an

impedance counters and flow cytometers.

There are two types of automated hematology analyzers,

Impedance counters

measure the electrical impedance that occurs when cells pass through detection electrodes.

Flow cytometers

direct cells through the path of a laser beam. They detect the amount of light absorbed by the cell and the amount of light scatter that the cell creates as it passes through.

Erythrocytes

They originate in the bone marrow (and other sites of hematopoiesis) where they mature until they are released into the peripheral blood.

erythropoiesis

process of erythrocyte maturation is called

erythropoietin (EPO)

Adequate erythropoiesis requires production of

Rubriblast

first identifiable immature form of an RBC

Metarubricytes

also called as nucleated red blood cells (nRBCs)

Rubricytes

cytoplasm is slightly less basophilic than a rubriblast; round nucleus but lack a nucleolus

Reticulocytes

combination of blue and red staining in these cells, they commonly are called polychromatophils

7.0 mm

diameter of a mature canine RBC is

Packed cell volume (PCV)

measured after centrifugation of whole blood and indicates the percentage of the blood volume composed of cells

Hematocrit (Hct)

percentage of the blood volume that is composed of erythrocytes.

Hemoglobin (Hb)

measured by colorimetric techniques or by determining the optical density

RBC count

can be determined using a hemocytometer; however, automated counters are more accurate for mammalian species.

Mean corpuscular/cell volume (MCV)

measured directly by automated cell counter

Mean corpuscular/cell hemoglobin concentration

measurement of RBC hemoglobin content that corrects for RBC volume

hypochromic

RBCs with a low MCHC are

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)

the average amount of Hb in RBCs.

Red cell distribution width (RDW)

determined by some automated cell counters. It indicates the degree of anisocytosis

microcytosis or macrocytosis

increase RDW

Anisocytosis

the term for differences in cell size

Basophilic stippling

dense aggregates of residual RNA remain in immature RBCs

Siderocytes

RBCs that contain basophilic inclusions consistent with iron

Polychromasia

is the term for cells that stain with both basophilic and eosinophilic dyes

Howell–Jolly bodies

basophilic nuclear remnants in RBCs

Echinocytes

the most common type of poikilocyte in a peripheral blood smear

Heinz bodies

denatured and precipitated Hb that are caused by oxidative damage to the RBC

Acanthocytes

RBCs with irregular spicules

Schistocytes

RBC fragments that indicate the RBCs have been sheared by intravascular fibrin or turbulent blood flow

Spherocytes

rounded RBCs with a normal MCV but a smaller appearance on a blood smear

Eccentrocytes

RBCs with Hb condensed to one side of the cell

Keratocytes

contain a torn vesicle to one side of the RBC

Ghost cells

pale remnants of RBCs that are lysed within blood vessels during intravascular hemolysis

Leptocytes

thin RBCs with an increased area of central pallor

Target cells

are leptocytes that look like a target with Hb around the cell edges and at the center of the cell

Stomatocytes

have a thick ring of Hb around the edges of the RBC and an oval area of central pallor

Erythrocytosis

an increase in Hct, RBC count, and Hb and may be due to hemoconcentration or polycythemia.

Anemia

defined as a decreased number of RBCs in the peripheral blood.

regenerative response

occurs when the bone marrow is responding to the anemia.

non-regenerative response

seen when erythropoiesis is not occurring during anemia

Hemorrhagic anemia

the loss of erythrocytes

Hemolytic anemia

caused by lysis of RBCs

Immune Mediated Haemolytic Anaemia (IMHA)

occurs when antibodies and complement bind antigens on erythrocyte membranes.

Transfusion reactions

occur when a patient that has received blood from a donor produces antibodies against the blood group antigens on the donor’s RBCs

13 blood groups

In dogs, there are approximately

Horses

They have 34 blood factors that are placed into 7 blood groups

Cattle

have over 80 blood factors that are placed into 11 blood groups

major crossmatch

combines the patient’s serum with the donor’s RBCs to detect antibodies in the patient that will lyse the donor’s RBCs.

minor crossmatch

combines the patient’s RBCs with the donor’s serum to determine if the donor has antibodies that will lyse the patient’s RBCs.