Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Iron-eating blood cells found after corn snake abdominal surgery
By George, Jeanne W et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2008·Department of Veterinary Microbiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Circulating siderophagocytes and erythrophagocytes in a corn snake (Elaphe guttata) after coelomic surgery.
- Species:
- reptile
Plain-English summary
A corn snake was observed to have unusual blood cells after undergoing surgery to remove its ovaries. About three weeks after the surgery, the snake had cells that indicated it was clearing out old blood, likely due to a small amount of bleeding during the procedure. Fortunately, aside from these temporary changes, the snake's blood tests were normal, and it recovered well without any complications.
People also search for: corn snake surgery recovery · snake blood cell abnormalities · corn snake post-surgery care
Abstract
Leukocytes containing nonheme iron and phagocytosed fragments of erythrocytes were found in blood smears from a corn snake (Elaphe guttata) collected 20 and 79 days after coelomic surgery (ovariosalpingectomy). Numerous immature and mitotic erythrocytes also were seen in the sample taken 20 days postsurgically. Siderophagocytes and erythrophagocytes had not been observed before surgery and were not found in multiple subsequent blood samples collected 112-602 days after surgery. Other than these hematologic abnormalities, laboratory findings were unremarkable and the snake recovered uneventfully. Based on examination of sequential blood smears, the circulating siderophagocytes were interpreted as recirculating macrophages involved in the removal of blood from the coelomic cavity after mild postsurgical hemorrhage.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18761524/