Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Diseases of Small Domestic, Laboratory, and Exotic Animals

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study on the main hematological diseases in cats diagnosed with viral leukemia. The systematization of hematological diseases allows for further selection of replacement and pathogenetic therapy, prediction of the severity of clinical symptoms, and development of a treatment plan. The study was based on the medical records of 109 cats diagnosed with progressive viral leukemia. The progressive form of the disease was confirmed in accordance with international recommendations for PCR of the virus RNA (polymerase chain reaction with detection of the virus ribonucleic acid) or ELISA p 27 (determination of the viral specific protein p27 by immunofluorescence analysis). Hematological diseases were detected in 88% of cases (96 heads) out of 109. In the group of animals aged 1-4 years, erythropenia with thrombocytopenia was observed in 33.33% of cases (19 animals), and cytopenia with blasts was ob served in 28.07% of cases (16 animals). In the group of animals aged 5-8 years, erythropenia with thrombocytopenia was observed in 33.33% of cases (10 animals), and pancytopenia was observed in 26.67% of cases (8 animals). In the group of animals over 8 years of age, erythropenia with thrombocytopenia was detected in 55.56% of cases (5 animals), and pancytopenia in 33.33% of cases (3 animals). Thus, the most prevalent hematological disease in all age groups was a combination of erythropenia and thrombocytopenia, which was detected in 35.4% of cases (34 heads) from all examined cats with hematological diseases of 96 heads. Determining the type of cytopenia (decreased blood cells of a specific morphological line) or a combination of cytopenias is necessary for further effective therapy. To correct the combination of anemia and thrombocytopenia, the preferred treatment options are whole blood or combined hematotransfusion with red blood cell concentrate (erythrocyte mass) and platelet concentrate. This is because the therapy should focus on replenishing the two cellular lines of morphological elements.