Non-regenerative Anemia

Due to non-regenerative anemias typically being a _____ process, animals are able to compensate clinically for hypoxia.

chronic

What are the usual laboratory findings of non-regenerative anemias?

decreased absolute reticulocytes, unchanged MCV and MCHC, unremarkable erythrocytes, and low degree of polychromasia

What is the most common cause of anemia in animals?

inflammation

What is the mechanism of anemia of inflammation?

decreased erythropoiesis since hepcidin trans iron in macrophages and induces hypoferremia; iron is needed by erythroid precursors for Hgb synthesis

What are the laboratory findings for an anemia of inflammation?

thrombocytosis, inflammatory leukogram, hypoferremia

What is an anemia of chronic renal disease?

mild to moderate normocytic normochromic anemia in conjuction with a renal azotemia (BUN and CREAT)

What is an anemia of endocrine disease?

hypothyroidism and hypoadrenocorticism due to thyroxine and cortisol not contributing to erythropoiesis

What is generalized marrow hypoplasia or aplasia?

seen in myelophthisis with bi- to pancytopenia since RBC lifespan is longer than neutrophils and platelets

What is PIMA?

precursor-directed immune-mediated anemia seen in middle aged dogs with severe non-regenerative anemia

What are the laboratory findings for PIMA?

rubriphagocytosis

What is PRCA?

considered a manifestation of PIMA; stands for pure red cell aplasia

What are differentials for microcytosis without anemia?

liver disease or insufficiency, breed-associated microcytosis in Asain canine breeds like akita, shiba inu, etc

What is FELV-induced myelodysplasia?

feline leukemia virus integrates into the host cell genome and disrupts DNA metabolism leading to precursors failing to mature to erythrocytes → non-regenerative anemia

What is poodle marrow dyscrasia?

asymptomatic hereditary condition causing macrocytosis with normochromasia and normal HCT; Howell-Jolly bodies seen in smear

What is inappropriate rubricytosis?

no anemia involved; seen in bone marrow injury and splenic contraction

What is erthrocytosis?

increase in HCT, PCV, RBC, or Hb

What are the two causes of a relative erythrocytosis?

hemoconcentration and splenic contraction

What is hemocontraction?

loss of intravascular water; lab findings include increase HCT and protein

What is splenic contraction?

epinephrine induced contraction causes transient release of storage pool of RBCs in spleen; lab findings include increased HCT but no change in protein

True or False: Absolute erythrocytosis is rare.

true