Healthy Animals Block 8 Exam: Anemia

anemia definition

decrease in HCT or PCV which is accompanied by decrease in RBC and Hgb

What are the two classifications of anemia?

regenerative vs non-regenerative

How are reticulocytes associated with anemia?

• increased reticulocytes = regenerative anemia

• normal reticulocytes = non-regenerative anemia

What does increased reticulocyte count indicate?

bone marrow response to replace RBCs in peripheral blood

Causes of regenerative anemia?

• hemorrhage

• hemolysis (stimulates greater response)

Non-regenerative anemia causes

• chronic disease

• chronic kidney disease

• primary bone marrow disease

Species variations in reticulocyte count

• dogs and cats is most useful

  • dogs release reticulocytes from excitement or after exercise

• reticulocyte response variable in cows, sheep, and goats

• horses rarely release reticulocytes

How long does it take for reticulocyte response to occur?

3-5 days to detect response after hemorrhage or hemolysis

classification of regenerative anemia

macrocytic and hypochromic

classification of non-regnerative anemia

normocytic and normochromic

classification of iron deficiency anemia

microcytic and hypochromic

MCV

• mean corpuscular volume (average size of RBCs)

• high = macrocytic

• normal = normocytic

• low = microcytic

MCHC

• mean hemoglobin in volume of blood

• high = hyperchromic

• normal = normochromic

• low = hypochromic

Examples of microchytic normochromic RBCs

• Akitas, sharpeis, shiba inus, chow chows

• portosystemic shunts

Examples of macrocytic normochromic RBCs

• horses with regenerative anemia

• cats with FeLV

• some poodles and greyhounds

• cobalt deficiency (ruminants) and B12, folic acid deficiency