Evaluating the leukogram in the dog and cat

PDF
Published: Dec 6, 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/jhvms.15171
Keywords:
Leukogram interpretation dog cat
T. A. PETAMIDIS (ΠΕΤΑΝΙΔΗΣ Θ.Α.)
Clinic of Companion Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, A.U.T.
M. E. MYLONAKIS (Μ. Ε. ΜΥΛΩΝΑΚΗΣ)
Clinic of Companion Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, A.U.T.
A. F. KOUTINAS (Α. Φ. ΚΟΥΤΙΝΑΣ)
Clinic of Companion Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, A.U.T.
Abstract

Leukogram, an important part of complete blood count, includes the total count, absolute differential counts and leukocyte morphology. For a valid interpretation of the leukogram, proper blood sampling and post-sampling handling is considered a prerequisite. Total leukocyte counts in the clinically healthy adult dog and cat usually range from 6000 to 17000 /μΐ and from 5500 to 19500 /μΐ, respectively. Neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and rarely basophils are the leukocytes recognized in the peripheral blood of these animal species. Leukocytosis and leukopenia may reflect pathological or physiologic responses to various endogenous or exogenous factors. Morphologic leukocyte changes may indicate an underlying inflammatory process (i.e. toxic changes), congenital and/or hereditary hematological abnormalities (i.e. Pelger-Hüet anomaly, Chediak-Higashi syndrome) and immune-mediated (i.e. systemic lupus erythematus) or neoplastic (i.e. lymphoid/myeloid leukemias) diseases. Detection of canine distemper virus inclusion bodies, Ehrlichia sp. morulae, Hepatozoon canis gamonts etc. in the cytoplasm of the various types of leukocytes is the most objective way to diagnose the relevant infectious diseases in the domestic carnivores.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Review Articles

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

· Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

· Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

· Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.

Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Brown MR, Rogers KS (2001) Neutropenia in dogs and cats: a retrospective study of 261 cases. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc, 37:131-139
Bush BM (1991) White blood cells. In: Interpretation of Laboratory Results for Small Animal Clinicians. Bush BM (ed), Blackwell Scientific, Oxford,: 132-195
Center SA, Randolph JF, Erb ΗΝ, Reiter S (1990) Eosinophilia in the cat: a retrospective study of 312 cases (1975-1986). J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 26: 349-358
Clinkenbeart KD, Meinkoth JH (2000) Normal hematology of the cat. In: Schalm's Veterinary Hematology. Feldman BF, Zinkl JG, Jain NC (eds), 5th ed, Lippinkott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia,: 1064-1068
Couto CG, Wellman M (1994) Disorders of Leukocytes and Leukopoiesis. In: The cat: Diseases and clinical management, Sherding RG (ed), Churchill Livingstone, New York,:724-734
Couto CG (1998) Hematology and Immunology. In: Small Animal Internal Medicine, Nelson RW, Couto CG (eds), 2nd ed, Mosby, StLouis,:1178-1186
Cowell RL, Decker LS (2000) Interpretation of feline leukocyte responses. In: Schalm's Veterinary Hematology, Feldman BF, Zinkl JG, Jain NC (eds), 5th ed, Lippinkott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia,: 382-390
Dunn JK (2000) Disorders of leukocyte number. In: Manual of Canine and Feline Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, Day M J, Mackin A, Littlewood JD (eds), British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester,:93-104
Gaunt SD (2000) Extreme Neutrophilic Leukocytosis. In: Schalm's Veterinary Hematology, Feldman BF, Zinkl JG, Jain NC (eds), 5th ed, Lippinkott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia,:347-349
Gaunt SD and Baker DC (1986) Hemosiderin in leukocytes of dogs with immune mediated hemolytic anemia. Vet Clin Pathol, 15:8-10
de Gopegui RR, Feldman BF (1997) Diseases of Non-lymphocytic leukocytes. In: Practical Small Animal Internal Medicine, Leib MS, Monroe WE (eds), Saunders, Philadelphia,:947-957
Greenfield CL, Messick JB, Solter PF, Shaeffer DJ (1999) Leukopenia in six healthy Belgian Tervuren. J Am Vet Med Assoc, 215:1121-1122
Grodecki Κ (2000), Eosinophilia. In: Manual of Canine and Feline Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, Day MJ, Mackin A, Littlewood JD (eds), British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester,: 131-138
Harvey JW (2001) Examination of Blood samples. In: Atlas of Veterinary Hematology, Harvey JW (ed), WB Saunders, Philadelphia, :3-20
Hirsch VM, Cunningham TA (1984) Hereditary anomaly of neutrophil granulation in Birman cats. Am J Vet Res, 45:2170-4
Kisseberth WC, MacEwen EG (1996) Complications of Cancer and its Treatment. In: Small Animal Clinical Oncology, Withrow S J, MacEwen EG (eds), 2nd ed, WB Saunders, Philadelphia,: 129-146
Latimer KS, Tvedten H (1999), Leukocyte disorders. In: Small animal clinical diagnosis by laboratory methods, Willard MD, Tvedten H, Turnwald GH (eds), 3rd ed, WB Saunders, Philadelphia,:52-74
Latimer KS, Rakich PM, Thomson DF (1985) Pelger Hüet anomaly in cats. Vet Pathol, 22:370-374
Latimer KS (1995) Leukocytes in health and disease In: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Diseases of the dog and cat, Ettinger SJ, Feldman EC (eds), 4th ed, WB Saunders, Philadelphia,: 1892-1929
Meinkoth JH, Clinkenbeard KD (2000) Normal hematology of the dog. In: Schalm's Veterinary Hematology, Feldman BF, Zinkl JG, Jain NC (eds), 5th ed, Lippinkott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia,:1057-1063
McManus PM, Litwin C, Barber L (1999) Immune mediated neutropenia in 2 dogs. J Vet Intern Med, 13:372-4
Meyer DJ, Harvey JW (1998) Evaluation of leukocytic disorders. In: Veterinary Laboratory Medicine, Meyer DJ, Harvey JW (eds), 2nd ed, WB Saunders, Philadelphia,:83-109
Moore FM, Bender HS (2000) Neutropenia. In: Schalm's Veterinary Hematology, Feldman BF, Zinkl JG, Jain NC (eds), 5th ed, Lippinkott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia,:350-355
Mylonakis ME, Koutinas AF, Billinis C, Leontides LS, Kontos V, Papadopoulos Ο, Rallis Τ, Fytianou A (2003) Evaluation of cytology in the diagnosis of acute canine monocytic ehrlichiosis {Ehrlichia canis): a comparison between five methods. Vet Microbiol 91:197-204
Roudebush Ρ (1995) Adverse reaction to foods: Allergies. In: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Diseases of the dog and cat, Ettinger S J, Feldman BF(eds), 4th ed, WB Saunders, Philadelphia,:258-262
Schultze EA (2000) Interpretation of canine leukocyte responses. In: Schalm's Veterinary Hematology, Feldman BF, Zinkl JG, Jain NC (eds), 5th ed, Lippinkott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia,: 366-381
Stockham SL, Scott MA (2002a) Basic hematologic assays. In: Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Stockham SI, Scott MA (eds), Iowa State Press, Iowa,:31-48
Stockham SL, Scott MA (2002b) Leukocytes. In: Fundamentals of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, Stockham SI, Scott MA (eds), Iowa State Press, Iowa,:49-83
Tvedten H, Weiss DJ (1999) The complete blood count and bone marrow examination: general comments and selected techniques. In: Small animal clinical diagnosis by laboratory methods, Willard MD, Tvedten H, Turnwald GH (eds), 3rd ed, WB Saunders, Philadelphia,:ll-27
Villiers E, Dunn JK (1998) Basic Haematology. In: Manual of small animal clinical pathology, Davidson MG, Else RW, Lumsden JH (eds), British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester,: 33-60
Weber SE, Evans DA, Feldman BF (1981) Pelger Hüet anomaly of granulocytic leykocytes in two feline littermates. Feline Practice 11:44-47
Zinkl JG (1981) The leukocytes. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 11:237-63
Most read articles by the same author(s)