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To complete the blood smear analysis, assess the different types of blood cells for
significant morphologic abnormalities and describe your findings. This part of the
hemogram is the most subjective and difficult to quantitate, although there are published
guidelines for grading morphologic abnormalities (Vet Clin Path 13:27-31, 1984).
If abnormalities are found, these should be modified with adjectives such as slight, few, moderate, many or marked. For example, if there is a slightly increased number of polychromatophilic red cells in the smear, this should be reported as slight polychromasia. Normal blood cells and some common leukocyte abnormalities are shown later in this module, but a detailed discourse on red cell shape changes is beyond the scope of this laboratory session. Proficiency in recognizing and interpreting morphologic abnormalities comes only with practice and familiarity with normal features of each species. An important preliminary to gaining such expertise is knowledge of the common artifacts of preparation that affect blood smears: |
Last Updated:Thursday, February 08, 1996