Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hematology Red Flags: The Value of Blood Smear Examination in Horses.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Stokol, Tracy
- Affiliation:
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This article discusses the importance of examining blood samples in horses to identify serious health issues. It explains that certain blood changes, like having too many or too few red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets, can signal specific diseases. By recognizing these changes, veterinarians can better determine what might be wrong with a horse. The article emphasizes that looking closely at blood smears is crucial, especially when initial blood tests show concerning results. Overall, the findings support the idea that careful blood examination can help in diagnosing health problems in horses.
Abstract
This article uses a case-based approach, complemented with diagnostic algorithms and images, to highlight hematologic changes of pathologic relevance in horses, namely, marked erythrocytosis, anemia or leukocytosis, inflammatory leukograms, lymphocytosis in adult horses, thrombocytopenia, and pancytopenia. These hematologic abnormalities occur with certain diseases and their identification can help clinicians narrow to down differential diagnostic lists. This article highlights the importance of blood smear examination, particularly, but not only, when numerical red flags are identified on automated blood counts.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31959376/