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Hematology of Equine Fetuses with Comparisons to Their Dams
Author(s) -
Allen Andrew L.,
Myers Sherry L.,
Searcy Gene P.,
Fretz Peter B.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
veterinary clinical pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.537
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1939-165X
pISSN - 0275-6382
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-165x.1998.tb01026.x
Subject(s) - mean corpuscular volume , fetus , mean corpuscular hemoglobin , macrocytosis , hematocrit , red blood cell distribution width , mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration , hematology , fetal hemoglobin , andrology , medicine , hemoglobin , red blood cell , blood cell , nucleated red blood cell , pathology , biology , pregnancy , anemia , genetics
— The hematologic values of 19 equine fetuses between 202 and 238 days gestation were compared with those of their dams. The red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were significantly lower in fetal blood, while the mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and red cell distribution width were significantly higher. Mares had a significantly higher nucleated blood cell count than fetuses, and all nucleated cells were leukocytes (WBC). Most WBC in mare blood were segmented neutrophils and lymphocytes. In contrast, over one‐half of the nucleated cells in fetal blood were nucleated RBC, and the majority of WBC in fetal blood were lymphocytes. Mares also had significantly higher plasma protein and fibrinogen concentrations than their fetuses. Mild macrocytosis and mild polychromasia were observed in most fetal blood samples, but not in blood samples from mares. All fetal blood contained reticulocytes, and most samples contained Heinz bodies and Howell‐Jolly bodies. The results of this study will contribute to the development of hematologic reference values that may be useful in equine fetal research and, possibly, in the diagnosis of equine fetal disease. (Vet Clin Pathol 27:93–100, 1998)