Regenerative Anaemia Inc. IMHA

Question 1

What percentage of heinz bodies is normal in cat rbcs and why are they present?

Answer 1

Up to 5%. Feline spleen has reduced ability to remove heinz bodies from circulation (larger gaps in sinusoids)

Question 2

Causes of Heniz bodies (7)

Answer 2

Oxidative injury - onions, zinc, napthelene (mothballs), anticoagulant rodenticides, propylene glycol
Lymphoma
Diabetes mellitus (especially if ketones present)
Hyperthyroidism (cats)

Question 3

What does positive coombs test mean?
What can cause it other than IMHA? (3)

Answer 3

Indicates presence of IgG or IgM, or C3 (complement) on the patients red blood cells
Other causes of positive test - cancer, infectious disease (eg. Babesia, mycoplasma haemofelis)