4- Red cell parameters Flashcards
What are we looking for regarding red cell parameters?
Red cell Mass (Pcv, RBCC, Hgb)
Appropriate erthyropoiesis (size & colour)
Red cells size
Red cell haemoglobinisation (MCHC)
Red cell shapes
What is MCV?
Mean corpuscular volume - average volume and size of individual red blood cells
What is MCHC?
mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration - average Hgb concentration (proportion of RBC occupied by Hgb as a percentage)
What 3 things measure red cell mass & oxygen carrying capacity?
PCV/Haematocrit
RBCC
Hgb
Will usually increase/decrease with one another
Classification of anaemia
microcytic hypochromic
normocytic normochromic
macrocytic hypochromic
What is polycythaemia?
An increased number of red blood cells
Increase in PCV, Hgb conc & RBC count
Describe the difference between relative & absolute polycythaemia
Relative = Have lost fluid somehow > RBC number is higher due to decrease in fluid in circulation
Absolute = Something driving RBC production\
‘true increase’
Name 2 causes of relative polycythaemia
Dehydration due to vomitting, diarrhoea, polyuria, water deprivation, burns
Exercise, fear, excitement , severe pain = stress
What are reticulocytes?
Immature RBCs
What does increase release of reticulocytes into the blood stream cause?
Regenerative anaemia
Species variation in reticulocytes: Dogs
Low number of reticulocytes
What species have 2 morphological types of reticulocytes? & Name them
Cats = aggregate & punctate
T/F in ruminants/horses virtually no reticulocytes are found in blood
True
How can you confirm agglutination in blood?
Mix 1 drop of blood with 1 drop of saline
agglutination will persist, rouleaux formation will disperse
Describe cat blood morphology
Smaller erythrocytes
Aniscytosis (variation in size)
Scare central pallor (less concave)
Describe horse blood morphology
Rouleaux
(sedimentation tendency)
Describe Ruminant blood morphology
Anisocytosis and crenation (spiky)
What does rouleaux formation in small animals indicate
inflammation
When do you see agglutination
IMHA
mismatched blood transfusion
