L4 Red Cells

Question 1

describe normal canine erythrocyte morphology

Answer 1

biconcave disk

round with central pallor

Question 2

describe normal feline erythrocyte morphology

Answer 2

look kind of like spherocytes. Less central pallor. Sometimes irregular boundaries. Minimal central pallor

Question 3

describe normal equine erythrocyte morphology

Answer 3

no central pallor. “sticky” so often have irregular boundaries (not exactly spherical). Very small!

Question 4

describe normal alpaca erythrocyte morphology

Answer 4

ovoid!

Question 5

describe normal reptilian erythrocyte morphology

Answer 5

nucleated

pink

Question 6

describe normal avian erythrocyte morphology

Answer 6

nucleated

blue

Question 7

What is rouleaux. In which species is it normal and what does it usually reflect.

Answer 7

RBC aggregating in stacks.
Can be normal in cats and horses (naturally sticky).
In other species usually reflects increased protein

Question 8

What is agglutination. What would we be concerned about if we saw agglutination in a blood smear

Answer 8

Grape like clusters of RBC

Concern for immune mediated disease where RBC stick to antigens

Question 9

What is anisocytosis

Answer 9

variable RBC size

Question 10

What is poikilocytosis

Answer 10

variable RBC shape

Question 11

What is macrocytosis

Answer 11

increased average RBC size

Question 12

What is microcytosis

Answer 12

decreased average RBC size

Question 13

Why might a RBC look pale

Answer 13

Low Hb and MCHC

Question 14

what is hypochromasia

Answer 14

pale erythrocytes with increased central pallor

Question 15

What stain must you use to identify a polychromatophil

Answer 15

Wrights Giemsa stain

Question 16

What stain must you use to identify a reticulocyte

Answer 16

New Methylene Blue stain

Question 17

What are aggregate reticulocytes

Answer 17

polychromatophils with many dark reticulin granules

They are released in low numbers in healthy dogs and cats

Question 18

What are punctate reticulocytes

Answer 18

More mature form of polychromatophils with only a few fine reticulin granules.

Question 19

In which circumstance can up to 10% of an animal’s RBC be punctate reticulocytes (in health?)

Answer 19

Cats –> RBC have a long maturation time (weeks)

Question 20

What is basophilic stippling? When is it seen in a blood smear?

Answer 20

Aggregation of residual RNA in a regenerative response (because are being spat out real quick). Especially seen in ruminants but can seen in any species with a regenerative response

OR, pathological due to lead poisoning or dyserythropoiesis.

Question 21

What makes a Howell jolly body?

Answer 21

nuclear remnant left in RBC

Question 22

In which species are Howell jolly bodies seen normally?

Answer 22

horses and cats

Question 23

In which pathogeneses might you see increased Howell jolly bodies?

Answer 23

post splenectomy
disorders contributing to accelerated erythropoiesis
Hypercortisolaemia
Chemo

Question 24

Why can’t you mistake a Heinz body with a Howell jolly body ??

Answer 24

Heinz bodies are only visualised when stained with new methylene blue

Question 25

What is appropriate metarubricytosis

Answer 25

increased numbers of nucleated RBC seen in cases of accelerated aeythropoieiss (regenerative anaemia)

Question 26

What is inappropriate metarubricytosis

Answer 26

increased numbers of nucleated red blood cells without a regenerative response

Question 27

In what circumstances might inappropriate metarubricytosis occur?

Answer 27

splenic Dz 
bone marrow injury 
lead poisoning 
inflammation 
dyserythropoiesis 
heat stroke 
myeloproliferative

Question 28

What are the overarching causes of anaemia? Are these regenerative?

Answer 28

1. Red cell loss (haemorrhage/ haemolytic) –> REGENERATIVE marrow response
2. Decreased red cell production –> NON REGENERATIVE

Question 29

What’re 3x morphological changes you’d see to RBC in a case of IMHA

Answer 29

1. Agglutination
2. Spherocytosis
3. Ghost cells

Question 30

What is a ghost cell?

Answer 30

Just an erythrocyte membrane –> its burst and fucked off

Question 31

why do Heinz bodies form

Answer 31

oxidative damage.

Denatured, precipitated Haemoglobin remains

Question 32

what are eccentrocytes

Answer 32

RBC with haemoglobin (white) condensed to one side due to oxidative injury to the erythrocyte membrane.

Often seen in conjunction with Heinz bodies and more frequent in dogs.

Question 33

What’re some causes of oxidative damage to RBC in animals

Answer 33

Toxins

• garlic/ onions in dogs
• zinc in dogs
• paracetamol in cats
• brassica plants in ruminants
• red maple leaves in horse

Metabolic Dz

• hyperthryroidism
• diabetes mellitus
• lymphoma

Question 34

What’re echinocytes

Answer 34

RBC with lil spikes, evenly spaced

Often an artefact

Question 35

What are some causes of echinocytes

Answer 35

electrolyte depletion
strenuous exercise
uraemia
glomerulonephritis

Question 36

What are codocytes

Answer 36

target cells

• increased cell membrane to haemoglobin ratio

Question 37

Under what circumstances might you see codocytes in a blood smear

Answer 37

• regenerative response
• liver disease (increased lipid in cell membrane)
• lipid metabolism disorder

Question 38

What are acanthocytes

Answer 38

irregular membrane projections

Question 39

What are some possible causes of acanthocytes

Answer 39

splenic, liver Dz
Iron deficiency
intravascular damage

Question 40

What are schistocytes

Answer 40

cell fragmentos

Question 41

What is a cause of schistocytes

Answer 41

DIC 
Haemangiosarcoma 
Vasculitis 
Endocartitis 
Iron deficiency

Question 42

What are blister cells

Answer 42

have a lil white bubble on it. Indicates microvascular angiopathy/ shear injury

Question 43

What are keratocytes

Answer 43

have a lil horn on it

Indicates microvascular angiopathy/ shear injury

Question 44

What do blister cells and keratocytes indicate

Answer 44

DIC, iron deficiency, haemangiosarcoma, liver disease, marrow disease