Abnormal RBCs

Question 1

Normal RBC

Answer 1

circular
biconcave shape
most hemoglobin in periphery, central pallor
come from pluripotent stem cell (bone marrow)

Question 2

Negative Feedback Systems

Answer 2

Hypoxia occurs
causes kidney cells to release erythropoietin
bone marrow responds by releasing more immature RBC

Question 3

What makes it normal?

Answer 3

arrangement
size (morphology)
color (morphology)
shape (morphology)
inclusions/parasites

Question 4

Rouleaux

abnormal arrangement

Answer 4

stacking of erythrocytes
normal in horses (may be present in cats or pigs)
artifact of prolonged storage

Question 5

Agglutination

cell arrangement

Answer 5

cells coated with antibodies

resulting in bridges or clumps

Question 6

Agglutination causes

Answer 6

associated with immune disorders:

1. IMHA (immune related hemolytic anemia)
2. transfusions (wrong blood type)
3. neonatal isorerythrolysis (in kittens and foals)-mother and baby blood types don’t match

Question 7

Agglutination Versus Rouleaux

Answer 7

use a drop of saline

rouleaux will disperse in saline but agglutination will not

Question 8

normal cell size

Answer 8

normocytic

Question 9

increased cell size

Answer 9

macrocytic

Question 10

decreased cell size

Answer 10

microcytic

Question 11

abnormal cell size

Answer 11

anisocytosis

Question 12

normal cell color

Answer 12

normochromic

Question 13

increased cell color

Answer 13

spherocyte

Question 14

decreased cell color

Answer 14

hypochromic

Question 15

normal cell shape

Answer 15

biconcave disk with central pallor

Question 16

abnormal cell shape

Answer 16

poikilocytosis

Question 17

What species of animal is anisocytosis normal in?

Answer 17

cattle

Question 18

Polychromasia

abnormal color

Answer 18

RBCs with bluish macrocytes
presence of organelles within cytoplasm
immature cells
(if stained blue=reticulocytes)

Question 19

What condition do animals suffer from when their RBCs are hypochromic?

Answer 19

anemia

Question 20

Spherocytes

abnormal color

Answer 20

darkly stained RBCs
appearance too much hemaglobin (but not true)
usually microtic
lost biconcave shape

Question 21

Poikilocytosis

abnormal shape

Answer 21

abnormal shape

not helpful in diagnosis
only use when morphologies can be made more specific

Question 22

5 Categories of RBC Morphology

Answer 22

1. Regenerative response (response to anemia)
2. Immune mediated damage (body does not recognize self
3. Oxidative injury (onions, tylenol, etc.)
4. Membrane/metablic disorder
5. Mechanical fragmentation (physical damage)

Question 23

Immune mediated damage

Answer 23

body’s immune system went haywire
IMHA
Incompatible blood transfusions
Neonatal Isoerthrolysis

Question 24

Immune mediated damage RBC Morphology

Answer 24

changes seen in:

spherocytes
agglutination
ghost cells

Question 25

spherocytes

Answer 25

dark | no disk shape

Question 26

agglutination

Answer 26

cell clumping

Question 27

ghost cells

Answer 27

remnants of membrane due to intravascular lysis

Question 28

Oxidative Injury

Answer 28

areas with denatured hemoglobin or hemoglobin pushed to the side unable to carry oxygen causes: oxidant drugs and chemicals, garlic, onions, acetominophen

Question 29

Oxidative Injury RBC Morphology

Answer 29

Changes seen in: heinz bodies eccentrocytes

Question 30

Eccentrocytes

Answer 30

half clear, pushed out hemoglobin causes: diabetes ketoacidosis, neoplasia, Babesia canis, ingestion of toxin (garlic, onions, acetaminophen

Question 31

Heniz bodies

Answer 31

round, blue normal in cats in 5% RBC indicate: lymphosarcoma, hyperthyroidism, diabetis mellitus

Question 32

Mechanical Fragmentation

Answer 32

fragmented RBCs not a good sign in large numbers caused by intravascular trauma or mylofibrosis

Question 33

Mechanical Fragmentation RBC Morphology

Answer 33

Changes seen in: schistocytes dacryocytes

Question 34

Schistocytes/shizocytes

Answer 34

traveling through fibrin (clot) | often seen in DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation)

Question 35

Dacryocytes

Answer 35

tear drop shaped cells (if all face the same way may be artifact or spreading) cause may be fragmentation or mylefibrosis (bone marrow scars) cause unknown may be secondary to lymphoma or leukemia

Question 36

Membrane/Metabolic Disorders

Answer 36

many different processes or illnesses can cause variation

Question 37

Membrane/Metabolic Disorders RBC Morphology

Answer 37

Changes seen in: ``` Echinocytes Acanthocytes Keratocytes Hypochromasia Torocytes Ovalocytes/Elliptocytes Leptocytes (Codocyes, Knizocytes) Stomatocytes ```

Question 38

Echinocytes (bur cells)

Answer 38

regular spikes, hedgehog or bur appearance Causes: in vivo= renal disease (lymphosarcoma) or snake bites in vitro=crenation

Question 39

Acanthocytes (spur cells)

Answer 39

nickelodeon, splat, or spur appearance Causes: liver disease dogs with hematuria

Question 40

Keratocytes (blister, bite, helmet cells)

Answer 40

helmet appearance areas of cell membrane damage causes: hemangiosarcoma, neoplasia, glomerularnephritis, liver disease

Question 41

Torocytes (punched out cells)

Answer 41

an artifact of spreading the blood | normal cells

Question 42

Stomatocytes

Answer 42

mouth appearance central pallor is oval Causes: hereditary, lead poisoning, drying artifact

Question 43

Ovalicytes/Elliptocytes

Answer 43

normal in camelids (llamas) Causes: lymphoblastic leukemia, hepatic lipidosis, portosystemic shunt, glomerular nephritis

Question 44

Leptocytes

Answer 44

cell membrane too large for hemaglobin folding cell membrane examples: codocytes knizocytes

Question 45

Codocytes (target cells)

Answer 45

causes: liver disease or polychromatophil

Question 46

Knizocytes (bar cells)

Answer 46

similar to target cells but line or bar near central pallor

Question 47

Pseudoparasites

Answer 47

``` stain precipitate basophilic stippling (lead poisoning) pappenheimer bodies retractile bodies (water in stain) platelets (stuck to RBC) Howell Jolly Bodies (immature, remnant of nucleus) ```

Question 48

Parasites and Inclusions: Ruminants

Answer 48

Anaplasma marginale | often seen in cows=anemia and death

Question 49

Parasites and Inclusions: Canines

Answer 49

Viral Inclusions: Distemper Mycoplasma haemocanis=splenectomy Babesia Canis=anemia, icterus

Question 50

Parasites and Inclusions: Felines

Answer 50

Mycoplasma haemofelis=common cause of FIA (from queen to kittens or via vectors), aka "Hemogbart=splenectomy