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Leukograms stressing you out? Check out this summary of patterns


Stress Leukogram:

  • Characterized by lymphopenia, eosinopenia, monocytosis and neutrophilia

  • Monocytosis is more common in dogs than other species

Physiologic leukocytosis:

  • Characterized by lymphocytosis, neutrophilia

  • Cats may also have eosinophilia and basophilia

Inflammatory Leukogram:

  • Characterized by neutrophilia, later followed by neutropenia if the bone marrow cannot keep up with the demand for leukocytes

  • Left shift (which means more immature neutrophils such as bands)

  • Toxic changes may be seen in more severe cases of inflammatory responses

  • Lymphopenia and sometimes, eosinopenia

Remember that sometimes it is hard to distinguish stress leukograms from inflammatory leukograms based on leukocytosis alone - make sure to use your physical exam and other lab findings to help you in these situations!


References:


1) Yin, S. A. (2010). The small animal veterinary nerdbook. Davis, CA: CattleDog Pub.

2) Eclin path. https://eclinpath.com/hematology/leukogram-changes/leukogram-patterns



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