Page 321 - The Veterinary Laboratory and Field Manual 3rd Edition

290 Susan C. Cork and Roy Halliwell

Table 5.3 continued

Species red cell characteristics Mean diameter reticulocytes Approx. White cells
(µm)/special in peripheral neutrophil/ characteristics/
rouleaux Central features blood (%) lymphocyte special features
formation palour
ratio
Pig ++ +/– 6.0/crenation. +/– 1.0 35 : 50 Eosinophil
Slight granules ovoid.
aniocytosis Band PMN present
in healthy pigs,
Lymphocytes may
be small or large
Camelid Elliptical RBC; 50 : 40
7.7 x 4.4
Deer Sickle shaped 57 : 38
cell
Elephant +++ Large RBC, 18 : 29 Many monocytes,
rouleaux these are the
formation predominant cells
common (52%)

Note: HB = hot blooded; CB = cold blooded; PMN = polymorph neutrophil.

Table 5.4 Normal haematological parameters for livestock and companion animals.

Species ruminants Pig Horse* Carnivores
Cow Sheep Goat dog Cat
RBC (x10 /l) 5–10 5–15 8–17 5–8 6–13 5–9 5–10
12
Mean value 7 12 13 6.5 9.5 6.8 7.5
Hb (g/dl) 8–15 8–16 8–14 10–16 11–19 12–18 8–15
Mean value 11 12 11 13 15 15 12
PCV (%) 24–46 24–50 20–40 30–50 30–52 36–55 24–45
Mean value 35 38 28 42 42 45 37
WBC x 10 /l 4–12 4–12 4–13 11–22 5–13 6–17 6–20
9
Mean value 8 8 9 16 9 11.5 12.5
Differential leukocyte count
PMN % 15–45 10–50 30–50 28–50 30–65 60–77 35–75
Band (mean) 0.5 Rare Rare 0.4 0.5 0.8 0.5
Lymphocytes (%) 45–75 40–75 50–70 40–62 25–70 12–30 20–55
Monocytes (%) 2–7 0–6 0–4 2–10 2–7 3–10 2–4
Eosinophils (%) 2–20 0–10 2–8 2–11 0–11 2–10 2–12
Basophils (%) 0–2 0–3 0–1 0–2 0–3 Rare Rare

Note: Carnivores tend to have a higher proportion of neutrophils to lymphocytes whereas ruminants have a higher proportion of
lymphocytes to neutrophils. *The normal red cell parameters vary from breed to breed with the ‘hot blooded’ breeds of horse
such as the Arab and Thoroughbred having a higher PCV than pony breeds. There are some variations depending on age, breed
and physiological state in all species and this should be taken into consideration when interpreting the results of blood tests.
RBC= red blood cell count, Hb = haemoglobin, WBC = white blood cell count, PMN = neutrophil.

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