The extent of variations in the blood picture of normal dogs and the deviations encountered in some canine diseases.

Abstract

This work is divided into two sections. The first deals with variations in the blood picture of normal dogs under a variety of conditions and the second with variations in two diseases.

In the first section over three hundred dogs have been examined. These dogs came from several different sources and more of varying ages and breeds.

The results obtained indicate that the blood picture is influenced to a considerable extent by the age of the clogs and by the environment in which it lives. The red cell counts are mainly affected by age and the total and differential white cell counts by environment.

Pregnancy causes variations in both red and white cell counts and these changes are most ierked towards the end of gestation. Oestrus periods cause slight variations in the blood picture but false pregnancy does not. It is possible, in certain circumstances, to diagnose pregnancy by means of a blood picture.

Breed does not influence the blood picture in dogs other then greyhounds.

The blood picture is not altered appreciably by sex differences, or by exercise, feeding, travelling or work.

Twelve different estimations have been investigated and a standard normal blood picture has been drawn up for dogs including all these estimations. The morphological characteristics of the various types of blood cells has been discussed and special staining techniques investigated with regard to eosinophils.

The wide ranges of variations, given by other authors, for red and white cell estimations, have been shown to occur and the causes of these variations have been precisely defined.

In the second section of this work two clinical conditions, pyometra and mammary tumours, have been investigated. Dogs suffering from pyometra have been shown to have alterations in their blood pictures and these changes have been correlated with the clinical signs and the condition of the uterus.

No significant changes in the blood picture was observed in animals with mammary tumours unless necrosis was present.