Overview

• Study of blood cells.
• Red cells via:
  • Packed cell volume (PCV)   Hematology: packed cell volume  .
  • Red blood cell (RBC) count   Hematology: red blood cell count  .
  • Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration   Hematology: hemoglobin concentration  .
  • RBC indices MCV (mean cell volume), MCH (mean cell hemoglobin) and MCHC (mean cell hemoglobin concentration).
  • Reticulocyte count (either on request or when evidence of anemia is present).
• White cells via:
  • Leucocyte (WBC) count   Hematology: leukocyte (WBC)  .
  • Differential WBC count: relative amounts of various WBC cells present.
• Platelet count and morphology   Hematology: platelet count  .
• All via stained blood smear.
• Tests of clotting function (values in seconds):
  • Whole blood clotting time (WBCT) 3.87 +/- 0.41 (mean +/- SD).
  • Prothrombin time (PT) 7.5 +/- 1.5.
  • Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) 19.5-22.5.

Sampling

Tests

Availability

• Widely available at commercial laboratories.
• Blood smears can be examined in practice.

Result Data

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Meier P & Lygax P (1990) A comparison of different reagents for the activated partial prothromboplastin time in rabbits and rat plasma. Thromb Res 59 (5), 883-886 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Campbell T W & Ellis C K (2007) Avian and Exotic Hematology and Cytology. 3rd edn. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN: 978-0813818115.
• Moore D M (2000) Hematology of Rabbits.In: Schalm's Veterinary Hematology. 5th edn. Eds: Feldman B F, Zinkl J G & Jain N C. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, USA. pp 1100-1106.
• Lewis J H (1996) Comparative Hemostasis in Vertebrates.Plenum Press, USA.