Haematopoetic System

• Introduction to the haemopoitic system

• Conditions affecting blood (oligocythemia,

polycythemia, pathology of Anemia)

• affections of W.B.C. (leucocytosis, leucopenia,

Leukemia.)
Blood Cells
RBC/Erythrocytes
 RBC/Erythrocytes

• Oligocythemia: Decrease in the quantity of

erythrocytes in blood than the normal

• Polycythemia (Erythrocytosis): this is increase in

the number of circulating erythrocytes.
• It may be relative increase as a result of
dehydration or decrease in plasma volume or
absolute due to anoxia
 Anisocytosis
• Variation in size of RBCs due to presence of
microcytes &/or macrocytes among normal
cells
 Poikilocytosis
Variation in shape of RBCS
• Macrocytes: is an erythrocytes the diameter
of which is larger than normal

• Microcytes: is an erythrocytes the diameter of

which is smaller than normal
• Normochromic: Normal staining of RBCS

• Hypochromic : indicates decreased intensity in

staining of erythrocytes which may be due to
either decreased haemoglobin content or
decrease in thickness of cells
• Hyperchromic : indicates increased intensity in
staining of erythrocytes which may be due
increased thickness of cells
 Basophilic stippling

• Basophilic stippling refers to diffuse blue speckling (with

Romanowsky stains) within red cells.
• This basophilia is due to the presence of cytoplasmic RNA
and reflects red cell immaturity.

•Lead poisoning
Polychromasia and Basophilic Stripling
 Heinz Bodies

Heinz bodies are refractile inclusion found in

erythrocytes. These are associated with
denatured protein and are seen in haemolytic
anemia
 Howell Jolly bodies

• Small, round, dark purple, erythrocyte inclusions

representing a portion of the
otherwise extruded nucleus.

•They are usually single and located close to the

periphery of the red cell
 Target cells

Target cells have a dark central area of

hemoglobin, surrounded by a pale zone
that in turn is surrounded by a peripheral
rim of hemoglobin.
• Leptocytes: are thin erythrocytes with larger
surface without increase in volume

• Meniscocytes (Drepanocytes): are cresent

shaped erythrocytes characteristic of sickle
cell anemia.
• This abnormal shape is due to the insolubility
of Hb in its deoxygenated forms
 WBC/ Leukocytes
• Leukocytosis is white blood cells
(the leukocyte count) above the normal range
in the blood
• It is frequently a sign of an inflammatory
response, most commonly result of infection
 WBC/ Leukocytes
• Neutrophilia: high number of neutrophils in
the blood
• Most common cause of neutrophilia is a
bacterial infection, especially pyogenic
infections
• A "left shift" refers to the presence of
increased proportions of younger, immature
neutrophils and neutrophil-precursor cells in
the blood.
 WBC/ Leukocytes
• Neutropenia : is an abnormally low
concentration of neutrophils in the blood
 WBC/ Leukocytes
• Lymphocytosis is an increase in the number
of lymphocytes in the blood
• Lymphocytopenia, or lymphopenia, is the
condition of having an abnormally low level
of lymphocytes in the blood
 WBC/ Leukocytes

• Monocytosis is an increase in the number

of monocytes circulating in the blood
• Eosinophilia is a condition in which
the eosinophil count in the peripheral
blood exceed than normal
• allergic reaction or parasitic infection
• Basophilia: is an increase in the number
of basophils in the blood
• Assignment
Normal RBC, WBC, Haemoglobin, PCV, MCV,
MCHC Count of domestic animals
 Anemia
• Anemia is the reduction of erythrocyte
numbers for animal of particular age, species,
breed and geographic location
• Anemia may be classified on the basis of the bone
marrow response (regenerative or nonregenerative)
or
• on the basis of red cell indices
(macrocytic/microcytic,normochromic/hypochromic
 Morphologic classification
• Morphologic classification subdivides anemias
into
• Macrocytic, normocytic and microcytic
according to cell size
• Normochromic or hypochromic according to
hemoglobin concentration
 Morphologic classification
Macrocytic hypochromic
• characterized by increased size of RBC and less
mature erythrocytes (reticulocyte)
• Occurs due to acute blood loss or haemolysis
• Resulting in excessive production and availability
of immature erythrocytes in blood.
• Such cells also have reduced amount of
hemoglobin and termed as hypochromic.

• Increase in MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume)

 Morphologic classification
Macrocytic normochromic
• Increase size of RBC with normal haemoglobin
• Deficiency of vitamin B12, folic acid and niacin
 Morphologic classification
Normocytic normochromic anemias
• Most frequently encounterd anemias in animals
• Normal size of RBC with normal haemoglobin
• This anemia result from depression of
erythrogenesis and therefore often refered to as
aplastic anemia
• Neoplastic disease, irradiation, certain toxicities
 Morphologic classification
• Microcytic hypochromic anemia
• Reduction in size of erythrocytes with decrease
haemoglobin
• Deficiency of iron, copper, pyridoxine or chronic
blood loss
 Haemolytic anemia
• It results from excessive destruction of circulating
erythrocytes
• It may be intravasular or extravascular
 Haemolytic anemia
Etiology:
• Parasites: Babesiosis, anaplasmosis, trypasomiasis
in cattle
• Bacterial: Leptospirosis, Clostridium haemolyticum
• Viral: Equine Infectious Anemia
• Toxins/ poisons: snake venom, chronic lead poisoning
• Immune mechanisms: autoimmunity against
erythrocytes.
 Haemolytic anemia
• Intravascular hemolysis results in hemoglobinemia
and hemoglobinuria
• In extravascular haemolytic anemia erythrocytes
are phagocytosed and destroyed because of their
shape or when they are recognised as foreign

• In this form haemolytic anemia there is no

haemoglonemia or haemoglobinuria

• Both types of hemolysis can result in icterus

 Haemorrhagic anemia
• Hemorrhagic anemia occurs due to severe
haemorrhage and extravasation of blood

• Blood loss is greater than production

• Low-grade, chronic blood loss eventually results in

iron-deficiency anemia
 Haemorrhagic anemia
• Poisoning: Sweet clover poisoning, warfarine,
bracken fern poisoning
• Blood sucking worms: Haemonchus contortus,
Fasciola, Bunostomum in cattle, strongyles in
horses, Ancylostomes in dogs, coccidiosis
• Gastrointestinal ulcers and neoplasms
• Ectoparasites: ticks, lice, fleas
 Deficiency anemia
• Deficiency of iron, copper, cobalt, B12, Folic
acid, pyridoxine
• Purpura: It is accumulation of blood under the skin due
to spontaneous rupture of the capillaries.

• Congenital erythropoietic porphyria:

In this condition premature destruction of developing
and mature erythrocytes is caused by accumulation of
excess porphyrins.

• Thrombocytopenia
 Spleen

The response of spleen to injury is a reflection of

its three anatomic components:
(1) monocyte macrophage system
(2) lymphoid (immune) system
(3) vasculature, chiefly the red pulp vascular
spaces.
 Splenomegaly
• Enlargement of spleen
• There is marked hyperplasia of reticulo-
endothelial system as well as white pulp with
diffuse infiltration by neutrophils
• In cattle: Anthrax, Babesiosis, leptospirosis
• Horses: Equine infectious anemia, tuberculosis,
salmonellosis, anthrax
 Torsion
• Torsion of the spleen occurs mainly in pigs and dogs

• Torsion of the spleen and stomach together occurs in

dogs, usually deep-chested as spleen of dogs and pigs
is attached loosely to the stomach by the gastrosplenic
ligament

• In ruminants spleen is firmly attached to the rumen

• It is the twisting of the spleen on this ligament that

results initially in occlusion of the veins, causing splenic
congestion, and later in occlusion of the artery, causing
splenic infarction
Primary neoplasms of spleen are:
• Fibrosarcoma
• Lymphosarcoma
• Myeloid leukemia
• haemangiosarcoma
 Leukemia
• Primary neoplastic disease of bone marrow
and other reticulo endothelial tissues

• Lymphoma
• Lymphoma is the most common
hematopoietic malignancy in animals and has
been reported in all the domestic species.
 Lymph node
Lymphadenitis : Lymphadenitis is the inflammation of
lymphnodes characterized by enlargement or atrophy,
congestion, proliferation of lymphoid cells/ depletion
of lymphoid cells, edema and fibrosis of lymphnodes.

• Lymphadenitis is a characteristic lesion of following

diseases:
• Tuberculosis
• Johnes disease
• Strangels and Glanders in horses
• Caseous lymphadenitis in sheep