Donkey Haematology
|
| 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