Hypochromia

(hypochromasia/hypochromic)

*Pale pink in color (reduced staining intensity)

*Lacking Hemoglobin (insufficient amount in cell)

*Associated with iron deficiency anemia

*can be micro/macrocytic

*assessed using smear (indices)

Fading RBCs

vs.

Ghost Cells

Fading RBC

(erythrolysis)

*caused by lipemia or old blood

*looks smudgy (cell membrane lysed)

Ghost Cells

*membrane with nothing in it yet

*common in urines

 Rouleaux

*stacking of RBC like coins

*caused by increased fibrinogen (protein) or Globulin concentration

*Normal for Horses and Cats

*Dogs have some

*Abnormal in cattle and sheep

 Agglutination

*Resembles rasberry clusters

*Caused by the presence of antibodies on the surface of red blood cells

*Often coats blood tube

*determining= 1 drop blood+ 1 drop saline (stays together in a cluster (+)/ seperates out (-))

Anisocytosis

*Variation in the size of RBCs

*Macrocytic Anisocytosis= usually relates to maturation

*Microcytic anisocytosis=arrest in maturation/often associated with iron deficiency

Poikilocytes

=Abnormally Shaped RBC

*suggestive of cells about to be destroyed (spleen is eating up->could cause anemia)

*indicitve of:

1)old cells

2)Dz causing early cell destruction (metabolic/anemia)

3)unhealthy cell production

4)indused artifact (crenation)

Sperocytes

(Round cell)

*Loss of cell membrane without significant loss of cytoplasm

*Can be found in: AIHA, hemobartonella, heinz body hemolytic anemia

*can alos be seen as an artifact of blood transfusions

Leptocytes

*Smile cells

*flat, folded cell=surface area of the cell is greater than the volume

*cell membrane has increased or volume of cell has been reduced

*observed best in the slightly thicker area of the monolayer

*tend not to clump together so they tend not to participate in rouleaux or agglutination

*may be an artifact of EDTA

*seen in nonregenerative anemia or chronic debilitating diseases

Codocyte

(Target cell/ Mexican hat)

*most commonly seen in canine blood

*often seen with leptocytes

*dont confuse with HJ bodies (pink=codocyte/dark blue grey=HJ bodies)

*may suggest iron deficiency anemia, liver dz, nephrotic syndrome, hypothyroidism

Torocyte

*Donut Cell

*punched out cells

*exaggerated amount of central palor

*may be seen in iron deficiency anemias

Stomatocytes

(mouth cell)

*oval shaped areas of central pallor

*RBC N size &color but are uniconcave

*Tend to have shortened life span so may see a regenerative response

*sometimes hereditary condition of malamutes

*see in some liver diseases

Acanthocytes

(spur cell)

*blunt projections (2-10)

*irregular and randomly spaced

*weak membrane--hemoglobin is poking through due to changes in cholesteral concentration increase

*diseases of the kidney/spleen/liver/uremia/hepatic lipodosis (cats)

Echinocytes

(Burr or Berry cell)

*Rounded or sharp spikes protruding from cell (10-30)

*short uniform quality

*equally spaced

*seen in lymphosarcoma, uremias, kidney failure, plasma electrolyte imbalance, rattlesnake bites

Crenation

(abnormal notching)

*Echinocytes have same apperance (differenciate with a wet mount)

*induced artifact (cell shrinks)

*slide dries too slowly, slide or blood is cold, old blood, H2O vapor