Influence of analysis time on hematological parameters

Abstract

The blood count is one of the fundamental tests to analyze the dog's general clinical status. Through hematological analysis can be established for diagnosis, diagnosis and also monitor the animal's health, indicating possible bacterial, viral or parasitological infections. Given the importance of performing the blood count, this work aims to prove changes caused by the storage time of samples stored at the ideal temperature suggested in the literature (from 2° to 6° C) and refrigerated for 24, 48 and 72 hours, through the analysis of hematological parameters such as hematocrit, erythrocytes, total leukocyte counts, leukocyte differentiation, hemoglobin, protein, platelets, mean corpuscular volume (VCM), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (CHCM) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (HCM) . Blood samples from three dogs of different sex, breed, weight and sizes were used, which after having carried out their anamnesis, two blood samples were collected from each animal for hematological analysis. With a sample of each dog, the exam was performed immediately (time 0) and the other samples were analyzed after 24, 48 and 72 hours. All samples were stored in all anticoagulant EDTA. The samples analyzed at time 0 and those analyzed within 24 hours kept some parameters the same. Those that maintained the values were hematocrit, hemoglobin, protein and CHCM. The other parameters such as erythrocytes, leukocytes, platelets, MCV and HCM, obtained changes, but satisfactory results. In the 48- and 72-hours analyses, the parameters showed significant changes.