Hematology and Serum Biochemistry of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus‐Infected and Feline Leukemia Virus‐Infected Cats

Background: Hematological and biochemical values in cats naturally infected by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or feline leukemia virus (FeLV) are not completely documented. Objective: Report differences in laboratory values between FIV‐ or FeLV‐infected and noninfected and between FIV‐ and FeLV‐infected cats. Animals: Three thousand seven hundred and eighty client‐owned cats tested for FIV and FeLV. Methods: Retrospective study. Evaluation of clinicopathologic changes in cats with defined FIV and FeLV status and for which laboratory data were available. Results: FIV‐infected cats were more likely to be neutropenic (odds ratio [OR]=3.6, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.1–6.2, P < .0001) and had lower serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase and glutamate dehydrogenase than control cats; serum total protein (8.1 ± 1.1 versus 7.6 ± 1.3 g/dL, P < .001) and γ‐globulin concentrations (2.2 ± 1.1 versus 1.7 ± 1.3 g/dL, P < .001) were higher than in uninfected cats. Compared with controls, FeLV‐infected cats had a higher risk of anemia (OR = 3.8, 95% CI 2.4–6.0, P < .0001), thrombocytopenia (OR = 5.0, 95% CI 3.0–8.4, P < .0001), neutropenia (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 2.1–6.1, P < .0001), lymphocytosis (OR = 2.8, 95% CI 1.6–4.8, P = .0002), and lower erythrocyte counts (6.13 ± 2.95 × 10 3 versus 8.72 ± 2.18 × 10 3 /μL, P < .001), thrombocyte counts (253.591 ± 171.841 × 10 3 versus 333.506 ± 156.033 × 10 3 /μL, P < .001), hematocrit (28.72 ± 12.86 versus 37.67 ± 8.90%, P < .001), hemoglobin and creatinine concentration. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Hematologic abnormalities are common in FeLV‐infected but not in FIV‐infected cats. Clinicopathologic abnormalities are less frequent in FIV‐infected cats and might reflect an unspecific immunologic response.