EQUINE CLINICAL PATHOLOGY - Rossdale & Partners

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T h e B e a u f o r t c o t t a g e l a b o r a t o r i e s In cases of clinical disease, haematologic variations from 'normality' are often marked and obvious, but more sophisticated analytical equipment is required when screening for less obvious variations and trends. Modern automated cytochemical haematology analysers (e.g. Bayer Advia 120) provide accurate differential cell counts that correlate closely with traditional manual differential counting techniques. Their automated differentials are highly repeatable and are likely to be more accurate than manual cell counts as they are performed on 10,000 rather than 100 leucocytes. These analysers provide results that are more accurate, repeatable and therefore reliable for the routine monitoring of performance horses. However, when required by clinical history or results obtained, a traditional stained smear is still required to demonstrate erythrocyte or leucocyte abnormalities. Red cell abnormailities include Howell-Jolly bodies and nucleation, fragmentation, oxidative damage, spherocytes, basophilic stippling or Babesia spp. parasites in piroplasmosis. White cell changes include left shifts, toxic degeneration, hypersegmentation, neoplastic change or cytoplasmic inclusions as seen for example in ehrlichiosis. NOTES 18
G u i d e t o e q u i n e c l i n i c a l p a t h o l o g y clinical chemistry Proteins Total protein, albumin and globulin estimations are useful in the assessment of general bodily condition and nutritional status and the response to infectious or parasitic disease. Electrophoresis helps determine the significance of raised total globulin levels. Specific tapeworm ELISA assays are now available commercially. Low serum albumin and/or rising globulin levels are a ‘red flag’ warning, most commonly seen with cyathostomiasis (hypoalbuminaemia), large strongylosis (raised beta 1 globulin), mixed helminthiasis (hypoalbuminaemia and raised beta 1 globulin), hepatopathy (hypoalbuminaemia and raised beta 2 globulin), antibody response to infection (raised gamma globulin) or abscess formation (raised alpha 2 and gamma globulins). Globulins can be differentiated by electrophoresis (Fig.2). Protein Electrophoresis Strep. equi infections) will often show characteristic alpha 2 and gamma globulin responses. Serum samples should be used for protein electrophoresis, as raised fibrinogen levels in heparinised plasma samples will cause confusing rises in beta 2 globulins (Fig.7). Occasionally, horses with generalised lymphosarcoma or plasma call myeloma have massively increased total protein and globulin levels, for which protein electrophoresis shows a massively raised, discrete, ‘skyrocket’ peak, usually in the beta 2 globulin range (Fig.8) suggesting monoclonal lymphoma protein production. Fig.2: serum protein electrophoresis normal horse serum Test : ELECTR Gel 1 – 8 03/01/2002 This identifies elevations in specific globulin fractions:- 1. Alpha 2 globulin - acute-phase inflammatory protein responses (Fig.3). 2. Beta 1 globulin - Strongylus vulgaris and mixed strongyle larval activity (Fig.4). 3. Beta 2 globulin – hepatopathy (Fig.5). 4. Gamma globulin - antibody responses to bacterial or viral infections (Fig.6). Horses with abscesses (e.g. Rh. equi and Fraction Rel% G/L 1 5.0 1.10 2 26.1 5.74 3 20.6 4.53 4 24.9 5.48 5 23.5 5.17 Total G/L 22.00 19
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EQUINE CLINICAL PATHOLOGY - Rossdale & Partners

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