Abnormal White Blood Cells

Question 1

WBC Abnormalities seen in all cells

Answer 1

Smudge cells/basket cells
Nuclear changes
Inclusions

Question 2

What nuclear changes are seen in all cells?

Answer 2

Karyolysis
Pyknosis
Karyorrhexis

Question 3

Karyolysis

Answer 3

Dissolution of the nuclear membrane

Question 4

Pyknosis

Answer 4

Condensing of the nucleus as the cell dies

Question 5

Karyorrhexis

Answer 5

Fragmentation of the nucleus after cell death

Question 6

Neutrophil abnormalities

Answer 6

Neutrophilia/ Neutropenia
Left Shift (bands)/ Hypersegmentation
Morphological/Toxic changes

Question 7

What are the morphological changes that can occur in neutrophils?

Answer 7

Pelger-Huet Abnormalities (.. over the e)
Birman Cat Granulation
Chediak-Higashi Syndrome (‘ over the e)

Question 8

Degenerative Left Shift

Answer 8

Normal to decreased neutrophil concentration
Will have more bands and immature forms than segmented neutrophils
Indicates maximal release from bone marrow in response to inflammation

Question 9

Regenerative Left Shift

Answer 9

Leukocytosis with neutrophilia
Will have more segmented neutrophils than bands
Indicates a proper response to inflammation

Question 10

What are morphologic changes often present with?

Answer 10

A left shift

Question 11

What are the toxic changes seen in neutrophils?

Answer 11

Basophilia
Foaminess
Dohle bodies (.. over the o)

Question 12

What do basophilic toxic changes look like

Answer 12

Bluer with ribosomal RNA

Question 13

What does foaminess look like?

Answer 13

prominent lysosomes and/or organelles

Question 14

What do Dohle bodies look like?

Answer 14

Blue-gray particles

Remnants of rough ER

Question 15

What are toxic changes in neutrophils due to?

Answer 15

Decreased time in the bone marrow

Question 16

Toxic Neutrophils

Answer 16

Common disease-induced cytoplasm changes in neutrophils

Question 17

What are toxic neutrophils associated with?

Answer 17

Inflammation
Infection
Drug toxicity

Question 18

When do you see toxic neutrophils in dogs?

Answer 18

With bacterial infections

Question 19

When do you see toxic neutrophils in cats?

Answer 19

It is common in cats that are not severely ill

Question 20

What do toxic neutrophils usually bring?

Answer 20

A guarded prognosis

Question 21

Right Shift

Answer 21

Presence of more mature/aging neutrophils

Many hypersegmented neutrophils

Question 22

What causes a right shift?

Answer 22

By the suppression of bone marrow

Question 23

Morphologic Abnormalities: Pelger-Huet anomaly

Answer 23

Nuclear hyposegmentation
Congenital defect in cats, dogs, rabbits, horses
Wright Stain

Question 24

Morphologic Abnormalities: Birman Cat Neutrophil Granulation Anomaly

Answer 24

Neutrophils contain fine eosinophilic to magenta granules

Inherited autosomal-recessive trait

Question 25

For cats that have the Birman Cat Neutrophil Granulation Anomaly, is the neutrophil function normal

Answer 25

Yes and the cats are healthy

Question 26

Morphologic Abnormalities: Chediak-Higashi Syndrome

Answer 26

Neutrophils have large, fused lysosomes with the cytoplasm | Stain slightly pink to eosinophilic

Question 27

What happens to animals that are affected by Chediak-Higashi Syndrome?

Answer 27

They may bleed due to abnormal platelet formation

Question 28

In animals with Chediak-Higashi syndrome can their neutrophils have a normal function?

Answer 28

Yes and the animals appear healthy | Although some may be more susceptible to infection

Question 29

What species are affected by Chediak-Higashi syndrome?

Answer 29

Persian cats Cattle Foxes Often albino

Question 30

Eosinophilic degranulation

Answer 30

No granules Larger than neutrophils Multiple, variably sized vacuoles

Question 31

Agranulocyte changes: Reactive Lymphocytes

Answer 31

Larger | Darker cytoplasm

Question 32

If there are high numbers of reactive lymphocytes what is the animal considered?

Answer 32

Antigenically stimulated | create antibodies

Question 33

Agranulocyte changes: Plasma Cell

Answer 33

Differentiated B-cell producing antibodies | Abundant deep blue to blue-green cytoplasm

Question 34

Agranulocyte changes: Atypical Lymphocytes

Answer 34

The nucleus may have clefts or indentations not normal in high numbers Can get confused with monocytes

Question 35

Agranulocyte changes: Azurophilic Granules

Answer 35

multiple pink to purple granules Contain proteins normal in many animals Should not be confused with parasites or viral infections

Question 36

Agranulocyte changes: Lymphoblast

Answer 36

Immature Stage One or more nucleolus/nucleoli Not normal in high numbers Indicative of extreme antigen

Question 37

Monocytes

Answer 37

Lacking prominent vacuoles | Do not confuse with band neutrophils or atypical lymphs

Question 38

Smudge cells

Answer 38

aka basket cells | Degenerative leukocytes that have ruptured

Question 39

Parasite inclusions: Monocytes, Lymphocytes

Answer 39

Ehrlichia canis | E. chaffeensis

Question 40

Parasite inclusions: Neutrophils, Eosinophils

Answer 40

Ehrlichia ewingii | Anaplasma phagocytophilum