Feline Medicine Q&A 08

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Question	Answer		Article
What are the features of a regenerative anaemia that may be evident on examination of a Romanowsky-stained blood smear?	Features of regenerative anaemia evident on a Romanowsky-stained blood smear are: Anisocytosis: variation in the size of the RBCs. Polychromasia: variation in the colour of the RBCs. Residual RNA present in immature RBCs stains blue. When these cells are stained with supravital stains such as new methylene blue, they can be identified as reticulocytes. Macrocytosis: larger RBCs. When present in significant numbers, the mean cell volume is raised. Increased numbers of immature RBCs including nucleated RBCs, RBCs with nuclear remnants (e.g. Howell-Jolly bodies). A very regenerative bone marrow response to anaemia may also result in an increase in other cell types such as the leucocytes and platelets due to non-specific stimulation of the bone marrow.		Link to Article
The blood smear was made using blood collected from a severely anaemic cat. Is the anaemia regenerative?	Yes. There is evidence of anisocytosis and polychromasia on the blood smear.		Link to Article