Anemia Flashcards
What are the 3 main causes of anemia?
Increased loss (hemorrhage) Increased destruction (hemolysis) Decreased production by marrow
Or combo of these
What are clinical signs of anemia?
Pale mucous membranes
Lethargy
Increase resp rate, dyspnea
Increased heart rate
Spenomegaly, icterus, and hemoglobinuria are clinical signs associated with ??
Blood destruction
What 4 tests would you used to assess an anemia?
PCV- Red blood cell mass
Mean cell volume
Recticulocytes count
Total protein
What test do you used to confirm IMHA?
Coombs test
an anemia with a high reticulocyte count tells you what??
Bone marrow is responding (regenerative anemia)
-anemia due to blood loss or blood destruction
What can you use to differentiate if an anemia is due to destruction or blood loss
Total protein
Low TP-> blood loss (acute)
In a dog..
PCV 13%
Rectics 100,000 (high)
TP 5.0 (low)
Hematology -> acanthocytes and schistocytes
Hemangiosarcoma
-> acute blood loss due to rupture
What are common causes of chronic blood loss?
GI ulcers
Bleeding GI tumors
Blood consuming parasites
In adults, and iron deficiency anemia is almost always due to ???
Chronic blood loss
PCV 15%
Reticulocytes high
Microcytosis
RDW is increased
Histopathology -> keratocytes and increased central pallor
Regenerative anemia
Microcytosis and keratocytes are evidence of….
iron deficiency anemia
How does the therapy differ in adults and neonates for iron deficiency anemia?
Adult- > find source of chronic bleed
Neonate -> injectable iron
Microcytosis can have multiple causes .. what are they?
Portosystmic shunt
Breed predisposed
Anemia of inflammatory disease
Iron deficiency anemia
Case : 10yr old yellow lab
4months earlier: PCV 44% and TP 8.2
PCV 16% Rectics 342 (range 0-60) TP 6.2 (range 6.0-8.0)
What would you suspect?
Anemia due to blood loss
High reticulocyte count => regeneration
TP - is within range but much lower than it was at a check up 4months ago
CASE - 1yr old female pointer
History of back pain, vomiting, previously treated with steroids for the back pain
PCV: 18% MCV 47 (60-72) MCHC 33 (34-38) Rectics 18.8 (0-60) TP 5.9 (6-8) Inflammatory leukogram Hematology-> keratocytes, schistocytes, blister cells, and giant platelets
MCV is low -> microcytosis
Rectics 18.8(relatively low)-> non regenerative
TP minorly low-> chronic blood loss
MCV and keratocytes/schistocytes –> Iron deficiency
Chronic blood loss
- GI ulcer
- hookworms
In cats, immune hemolytic anemia is often associated with what conditions?
Mycoplasma hemofelis
FeLV
Neoplasia
In horses, immune mediated hemolytic anemia is associated with ??
Penicillins, clostridial infections, and neoplasia
What species of dogs do we see the highest incidence of IMHA?
Cocker spaniels
Also in poodle and collies
What is the diagnostic test for immune mediated hemolytic anemia?
Coombs test (Direct antiglobulin test)
In IMHA, antibodies are binding to RBCs
Coombs adds and antibody against the IgG –> cause agglutination in positive animals by binding the IgG which is bound to RBCs
Does Dr Thrall like the Coombs test? Why or why not?
Nope
Many false negative -> immune competes attached to erythrocytes but destruction of RBC is not increased
Many false positives -> low concentration of AB of RBC
What is your DDx for spherocytosis?
Previous mismatched blood transfusion
Rattlesnake envenomation
Heinz body anemia in horse
Zinc toxicosis
Bee stings
What do you call the disease of having both an immune mediated hemolytic anemia AND immune mediated thrombocytopenia ?
Evans syndrome
In IMHA, the leukograms almost always is _____
Inflammatory