Week 7- Approach to Anaemia

Question 1

What is the definition of anaemia

Answer 1

Decreased circulating red blood cell mass

Question 2

What are the three main mechanisms of anaemia

Answer 2

Haemorrhage haemolysis and decreased production

Question 3

What are common signs of anaemia in animals

Answer 3

Pale mucous membranes lethargy tachycardia weakness

Question 4

What does PCV measure

Answer 4

The percentage of blood volume occupied by red blood cells

Question 5

What does a low PCV and low TP suggest

Answer 5

Haemorrhage or blood loss

Question 6

What does a low PCV and normal or high TP suggest

Answer 6

Haemolysis or decreased production

Question 7

What is regenerative anaemia

Answer 7

Anaemia where the bone marrow is responding by producing reticulocytes

Question 8

What is nonregenerative anaemia

Answer 8

Anaemia where the bone marrow is not producing sufficient reticulocytes

Question 9

What are reticulocytes

Answer 9

Immature red blood cells released in response to anaemia

Question 10

What does polychromasia indicate

Answer 10

Presence of immature RBCs suggesting regeneration

Question 11

What does macrocytosis suggest

Answer 11

Large RBCs usually due to regeneration or FeLV

Question 12

What does microcytosis suggest

Answer 12

Small RBCs often seen with iron deficiency

Question 13

What is anisocytosis

Answer 13

Variation in red blood cell size

Question 14

What is hypochromasia

Answer 14

Pale RBCs usually due to iron deficiency

Question 15

What are spherocytes

Answer 15

Small dense RBCs lacking central pallor seen in IMHA

Question 16

What does haemoglobinuria suggest

Answer 16

Intravascular haemolysis

Question 17

What does icterus in an anaemic patient suggest

Answer 17

Extravascular haemolysis

Question 18

What is the most common cause of regenerative anaemia in dogs

Answer 18

Immune mediated haemolytic anaemia

Question 19

What is the first line treatment for IMHA

Answer 19

Prednisolone and clopidogrel

Question 20

Why is clopidogrel used in IMHA

Answer 20

To prevent thromboembolic complications

Question 21

What is the role of erythropoietin

Answer 21

Stimulates bone marrow to produce red blood cells

Question 22

What disease causes low erythropoietin and anaemia

Answer 22

Chronic kidney disease

Question 23

What test confirms regenerative response

Answer 23

Reticulocyte count

Question 24

What are Howell Jolly bodies

Answer 24

Remnants of nuclear material in RBCs indicating regeneration

Question 25

What test distinguishes haemorrhage from haemolysis

Answer 25

PCV and TP analysis

Question 26

What is a common cause of nonregenerative anaemia in cats

Answer 26

FeLV infection

Question 27

What does a high MCV and low reticulocytes suggest

Answer 27

FeLV associated macrocytic nonregenerative anaemia

Question 28

What does a positive faecal occult blood test indicate in anaemia

Answer 28

Gastrointestinal haemorrhage

Question 29

What is the treatment for iron deficiency anaemia

Answer 29

Iron supplementation and treat the underlying cause

Question 30

What clinical sign is typical of thrombocytopenia

Answer 30

Petechiae or ecchymoses

Question 31

What is the hallmark RBC change in IMHA

Answer 31

Spherocytes

Question 32

What test is used to assess plasma protein concentration

Answer 32

Total protein or TS

Question 33

What does the presence of nucleated RBCs suggest

Answer 33

Regeneration or bone marrow stress

Question 34

What test would you run in a suspected splenic haemorrhage

Answer 34

Abdominal ultrasound or POCUS

Question 35

How do you diagnose chronic kidney disease in an anaemic cat

Answer 35

Azotaemia and low PCV with low reticulocytes

Question 36

What condition causes both anaemia and hypoproteinaemia

Answer 36

Protein losing enteropathy

Question 37

What anaemia is caused by zinc toxicity

Answer 37

Regenerative haemolytic anaemia

Question 38

What diagnostic would you run in a nonregenerative anaemia with pancytopenia

Answer 38

Bone marrow aspirate

Question 39

What is the treatment for rodenticide associated anaemia

Answer 39

Vitamin K1 and plasma transfusion

Question 40

What anaemia is seen in chronic inflammation

Answer 40

Normocytic normochromic nonregenerative anaemia

Question 41

Case a dog with low PCV high TS and spherocytes on smear

Answer 41

Most likely IMHA

Question 42

Case a cat with low PCV high MCV and FeLV positive

Answer 42

FeLV related macrocytic anaemia

Question 43

Case a dog with low PCV low TS and free fluid in abdomen

Answer 43

Haemorrhage due to trauma or mass

Question 44

Case a dog with pale gums chronic diarrhoea microcytic anaemia

Answer 44

Iron deficiency from chronic GI blood loss

Question 45

Case a dog with severe thrombocytopenia and mild anaemia

Answer 45

Immune mediated thrombocytopenia with secondary anaemia

Question 46

Case a healthy sighthound with high PCV and normal indices

Answer 46

Normal breed variation not anaemic

Question 47

Case a dog with low PCV low retics and high creatinine

Answer 47

CKD causing nonregenerative anaemia

Question 48

What blood smear feature supports regeneration

Answer 48

Polychromasia

Question 49

Why is PCV sometimes falsely normal in dehydration

Answer 49

Hemoconcentration masks anaemia