Updates in clinical pathology: Macrothrombocytopaenia in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Size matters!

摘要

In September 2009 the European Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology dedicated an entire day at the Congress of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine to discussing platelets. Platelets are small, anucleate cells that play a vital role in haemostasis. Clinical pathologists are familiar with the problems associated with counting platelets accurately. This is a particular problem in cats, in which platelets are easily activated and clump within the sample. Similarly, large platelets may be poorly distinguished from erythrocytes, especially by haematology analysers based on impedance methodology. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) (Fig. 1) with inherited macrothrombo-cytopaenia present a unique challenge to clinical pathologists and clinicians alike. Recently there have been research developments that may reveal the underlying pathogenesis of this condition and concurrently a focus on how platelet counts can be accurately achieved in these cases.