Equine Haematology

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Horse

Haematologic Type	US Units	Full US Units	Internarional Standard Units (SI)	Full SI Units	Normal Ranges
UNITED STATES UNITS / International Standard Units (SI)
Neutrophils (Segmented)	% x10-3/uL	Per microlitre	% x10-9/L	Per litre	30 - 75% or 3 - 6
Neutrophils (band)	% x10-3/uL	Per microlitre	% x10-9/L	Per litre	0 - 1% or 0 - 0.1
Lymphocytes	% x10-3/uL	Per microlitre	% x10-9/L	Per litre	25 - 60 / 1.5 - 5
Monocytes	% x10-3/uL	Per microlitre	% x10-9/L	Per litre	1 - 8 / 0 - 0.6
Eosinophils	% x10-3/uL	Per microlitre	% x10-9/L	Per litre	1 - 10 / 0 - 0.8
Basophils	% x10-3/uL	Per microlitre	% x10-9/L	Per litre	0 - 3% or 0 - 0.3
Myeloid/Erythroid Ratio	No units	No units	No units	No units	0.9 - 3.8 : 1
Plasma Proteins	g/dL	Grams per deci-litre	x10g/L	Grams per litre	6 - 8.5
Plasma Fibrogen	g/dL	Grams per deci-litre	x10g/L	Grams per litre	0.1 - 0.4
Packed Cell Volume (PCV) (Haematocrit)	%	Percentage	x10-2/L	Per litr	32 - 48 (Lower in cold-blooded)
Hemoglobin (Hgb)	g/dL	Grams per deci-litre	x10 g/L	Grams per litre	10 - 18
Red Blood Cells (RBC)	x10-6/uL	Per microlitre	x10 g/L	Grams per litre	6 - 12
Reticulocytes	%	Percentage	%	Percentage	0
Mean Corpuscular Volume	f/L	Per femtolitre	f/L	Per femtolitre	34 - 58
Mean Corpuscular Hgb	pg	Per picogram	pg	Per picogram	13 - 19
Mean Corpuscular Hgb Concentration	g/dL	Grams per deci-litre	x10 g/L	Grams per litre	31 - 37
Platelets	x10-5/uL	Per microlitre	x10-11/L	Per litre	1 - 6
White Blood Cells	x10-3/uL	Per microlitre	x10-9/L	Per litre	6 - 12

Donkey

Parameter/units	Average	Range	Interpretation
RBC 1012/l	5.5	(4 - 7.3)	Red blood cells, packed cell volume, haemoglobin: Elevations in RBC, PCV, and Hb may occur in dehydration and with stress, excitation and exercise. A reduction in these values may occur with acute haemorrhage, chronic inflammation, renal disease, hepatic disease, parasitism, haemolysis, and haematopoietic neoplasia.
PCV %	33	(25 - 38)	As above
Hb g/dl	11.6	(9 - 15.3)	As above
MCH pg	21.9	(18.9 - 28.6)	Mean corpuscular haematology: Elevations occur with haemolysis. Reductions usually indicate iron deficiency.
MCHC g/dl	34.8	(31.4 - 39.1)	Mean corpuscular haematological concentration: Elevations occur with haemolysis. Reductions may indicate iron deficiency.
MCV fl	64	(57 - 79)	Macrocytosis seen with regenerative anaemia. Microcytosis seen with iron deficiency.
WBC 109/l	10.2	(6.1 - 16.1)	White blood cells. The total number of WBC is influenced by the numbers of neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes and basophils. Leucocytosis is seen with septic and non-septic inflammatory conditions. Leucopaenia can occur during viral infection and severe leucopenia with acute bacterial infections.
NEU %	50.5	(28 - 78)	Neutrophils. Neutrophilia can arise transiently due to exercise, excitement and stress. Elevations are seen with septic and non-septic inflammatory conditions and acute bacterial infections. Corticosteroids, exogenous and endogenous, also cause a neutrophilia. Neutropenia can occur during viral infections.
NEU T 109/l	5.0	(2.2 - 13.3)	As above
EOS %	4	(1 - 10)	Eosinophils. Eosinophilia may be seen as a result of parasitism, allergic respiratory disease and eosinophilic leukaemia. Eosinopaenia is hard to evaluate as the numbers of eosinophils in normal donkeys are low.
EOS T 109/l	0.38	(0.09 - 1.15)	As above
BAS %	0	(0 - 0.8)	Basophils. Basophilia is rare in donkeys.
BAS T 109/l	0	(0 - 0.5)	As above
LYM %	43	(17 - 65)	Lymphocytes. Lymphocytosis occurs in response to chronic viral infections, autoimmune disease and with excitement or exercise. Large elevations in lymphocyte numbers can be seen in lymphoma. Lymphopaenia occurs as a result of stress, exogenous corticosteroid administration, severe bacterial or viral infections, endotoxemia and immunodeficiency.
LYM T 109/l	4.2	(1.8 - 7.8)	As above
MON %	1	(0 - 5)	Monocytes. Monocytosis can occur as a result of chronic suppurative and granulomatous inflammation. It may also be seen during recovery from viral infections of the upper respiratory tract.
MON T 109/l	0.13	(0 - 0.8)	As above
Platelets 109/l	5.5	(4 - 7.3)	Thrombocytes. Thrombocytosis is rare but can occur in bacterial infections. Thrombocytopaenia may be seen in disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC), immunemediated thrombocytopenia, equine infectious anaemia (EIA), endotoxemia, equine ehrlichiosis, neoplasia, or as a result of severe haemorrhage. Artifactual reductions in platelet numbers can occur as a result of platelets clumping in EDTA.

Svendsen, E.D., Duncan, J. and Hadrill, D. (2008) The Professional Handbook of the Donkey, 4th edition, Whittet Books, Appendix 1