Practical Guide to Laboratory Test Interpretation and Differential Diagnosis. Haematology and Biochemistry

1. Haematology

Blood sample collection: additives

Blood smear evaluation

Rating scales of bloods mears

Platelet concentration

Erythrocyte abnormalities

Leukocyte abnormalities

Systematic evaluation of bloods mears

Alterations in blood smear

Blood smear evaluation: template

Interpretation of CBC

Anaemia

Types of anaemia

Based on degree of regeneration

Regenerative anaemia

Semi-regenerativeanaemia

Non-regenerativeanaemia

Based on aetiology

Haemolytic anaemia

Anaemia in chronic kidney disease

Infectious anaemias

Iron-deficiency anaemia

Anaemia of chronic disease

Diagnostic process to differentiate iron-deficiency anaemia and anaemia of chronic disease

Erythrocytosis

Alterations in the leukogram

Leukogram patterns

Neutropaenia

Neutrophilia

Lymphocytosis

Lymphopaenia

Monocytosis

Eosinophilia

Leukocyte alterations

Classification of leukaemias

Lymphoma

Multiplemyeloma

Systemic lupus erythematosus (in dogs)

Most common immunodeficiencies

Hypersensitivity reactions

Alterations of the lymphoid organs and spleen

Lymphadenopathy

Fever of unknown origin

Splenomegaly

2. Haemostasis

Diagnostic techniques

Diagnostic approach

Rapid assessment tests

Definitive tests

Diagnostic investigation in patients with haemorrhage

Alterations in haemostasis

Petechiae and ecchymosis

Thrombocytopaenia

Hereditary coagulopathies

Acquired coagulopathies

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)

3. Transfusionmedicine: transfusion of blood and blood derivatives

Donor selection

Blood groups

Dogs

Cats

Compatibility testing

Blood derivatives

Transfusion technique

Transfusion reactions

4. Electrolytedisturbances

Potassium

Hyperkalaemia

Hypokalaemia

Sodium

Hypernatraemia

Fluid type and Na concentration

Hyponatraemia

Chlorine

Hyperchloraemia

Hypochloraemia

Calcium

Hypercalcaemia

Hypocalcaemia

Phosphorous

Hyperphosphataemia

Hypophosphataemia

Magnesium

Hypomagnesaemia

5. Acid-base disturbances

Acidaemia: aetiology and treatment

Alkalaemia: aetiology and treatment

Normal blood gases and acid-base parameters

Compensatory responses expected to primaryacid-base disturbances

6. Alterations in serum biochemistry

Kidney disease

Polyuria and polydipsia syndrome

Acute azotaemia (ARD)

Chronic azotaemia (CKD)

Proteinuria

Haematuria

Interpretation of urine test strips

Interpretation of urinary sediment

Liverdisease

Jaundice

Increased transaminases

Increased alkaline phosphatase

Increased bile acids

Increased ammonium

Summary: clinical and laboratory interpretation in liver disease

Summary: extrahepatic conditions that increase liver enzymes

Gastrointestinal disease

Pancreatic disease

Alterations in glucose metabolism

Hyperglycaemia

Hypoglycaemia

Alterations in lipid metabolism

Hyperlipidaemia

Alterations in blood proteins

Hypoalbuminaemia

Hyperglobulinaemia

Proteinogram

Creatine kinase

7. Bodyeffusions

Analysis of body effusions

Joint disease

8. References

Ignacio López Villalba

Ignacio López Villalba received his PhD in Veterinary Medicine in 2002 from the Universidad de Córdoba, where he is Professor of Internal Medicine and Propaedeutics at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Since 2003 he has worked in clinical practice at the Hospital Clínico Veterinario of the Universidad de Córdoba, where he currently heads the Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine.

He is a member of the Veterinary Internal Medicine research group (PAIDI CTS-179) at the Universidad de Córdoba and the Calcium Metabolism and Vascular Calcification research group at the Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research, Córdoba (IMIBIC). He is a member of the Spanish Society of Veterinary Internal Medicine (SEMIV) and the European Society of Veterinary Oncology (ESVONC), and is a founding member of the Veterinary Oncology Group of AVEPA (GEVONC).

He has worked as a visiting veterinarian in several prestigious veterinary hospitals in the UK (University of Bristol and the Queen Mother Hospital of the Royal Veterinary College, London), Germany (Veterinary Hospital of the University of Hannover and Veterinary Hospital of the University of Berlin), USA (Veterinary Hospital of Ohio State University) and South America (Institute of Feline Medicine, Santiago de Chile).

He has authored over 60 scientific publications in international journals in the fields of veterinary science, endocrinology, metabolism, urology and nephrology, and has spoken at over 100 national and international congresses and events.

He has received numerous awards for his research in the fields of nephrology and mineral metabolism, including awards presented by the Spanish Nephrology Society in 2009 and 2013.

He works exclusively in small animal practice with a special focus on oncology,

Ignacio Mesa Sánchez

Ignacio Mesa Sánchez was awarded his bachelor ́s degree and Masters in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health Improvement by the Universidad de Córdoba in 2008 and 2009, respectively.

He worked as a clinician at the Hospital Cínico Veterinario of the Universidad de Córdoba (2009) and the Hospital Veterinario San Marco (Padova, Italy) (2010). During the years 2011-2014 he held the residency in Internal Medicine (ECVIM-CA) at the Hospital Clínic Veterinari of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Later, he joined the Department of Internal Medicine at the Hospital Ars Veterinaria. Currently, he is working on Internal Medicine at the Hospital Valencia Sur and he is the Clinical Director of Animal Blood Bank.

He is a member of the teaching staff in the Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery at UAB and an honorary staff member of the Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery at the Universidad de Córdoba.

He has published in many national and international journals, and works exclusively in small animal practice with a special emphasis on internal medicine.