Basics

Question 1

What is MCV?
When is it increased/decreased?

Answer 1

mean corpuscular volume
(Hkt × 10)/RBC count
Increased:
in some horses with regenerative anemia
in older horses

Decreased :
iron deficiency anemia

Question 2

What is MCH?
When is it increased/decreased?

Answer 2

mean corpuscular hemoglobin
= (Hemoglobin × 10)/RBC count
Increased with intravascular hemolysis
Decreased with iron deficiency anemia

Question 3

What is MCHC?
When is it increased/decreased?

Answer 3

mean corpuscular hemoglobin
concentration
= (Hemoglobin × 100)/PCV
Increased with intravascular hemolysis
Decreased with iron deficiency anemia

Question 4

How do the red blood cell indices look like with iron deficiency anemia?

Answer 4

MCV
MCH
MCHC
decreased
-> microcytic hypochromic iron deficiency anemia,

Question 5

What is transferrin?

Answer 5

transferrin
(or TIBC, including ALL transport enzymes)
represents capacity of the blood to transport iron
**produced in relationship to the need for iron. **
When iron stores are low, transferrin levels increase and vice versa

Question 6

What is tranferrin saturation?

Answer 6

represents the percentage of transferrin that is saturated with iron.