Equine Haematology

Go to donkey parameters

Horse

Haematologic Type	Internarional Standard Units (SI)	Normal Ranges
International Standard Units (SI)
WBC	% x10-3/uL	5.5
RBC	% x10-6/uL	6.7 - 10.0
Haemoglobin	g/dL	11.2 - 16.2
Haematocrit	%	30 - 43
MCV	fL	37.5 - 50
MCH	pg	14.0 - 18.7
MCHC	g/dL	36.4 - 38.8
Platelets	x10-3/uL	100 - 250
Plasma Proteins	g/dL	6.1 - 8.0
Fibrinogen	mg/dL	100 - 500
Reticulocytes	/uL	0 (Nil)
Band Neutrophils	/uL	0 - 100
Segmented Neutrophils	/uL	2,200 - 8,100
Lymphocytes	/uL	1,700 - 5,800
Monocytes	/uL	0 - 1000
Eosinophils	/uL	0 - 800
Basophils	/uL	0 - 300	x10-11/L	Per litre	1 - 6

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