Practical Guide To Laboratory Test Interpretation And Differential Diagnosis In Small Animals. 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

This is a technical-scientific manual describing the main algorithms used for differential diagnosis in the field of haematology and biochemistry in the small animal clinic. The objective of this book is to optimize the work of clinical veterinarians by providing them with the necessary tools to guide and facilitate the diagnosis of the main haematology- and biochemistry-related diseases of small animals and to establish aetiology based on specific clinical signs. The authors, experts in the field of small animal haematology and biochemistry, include additional resources (tables, images, etc.) that make this manual an essential reference for veterinarians working with cats and dogs.

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 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.