Leucopenia:
- Leucopenia doesnot occurs as specific disease but occurs as manifestation of variety of disease.
- Leucopenia refers to decreased in number of WBC or leukocytes in circulation.
- Neutropenia often accompanied with lymphopenia occurs in number of acute viral disease like hog cholera, equine viral arteritis.
- Acute local inflammation causes transient fall in leukocytes because of withdrawal of circulating cells to septic focus.
- Neutropenia occurs as a part of response to toxaemia and endotoxaemia. Lymphopenia occurs as part of stress response, and as a result of administration of glucocorticoids.
Etiology:
- Canine distemper
- Infectious canine hepatitis
- Feline panleukopenia
- Swine fever, bovine viral diarrhoea
- Rinderpest, toxoplasmosis
- Shock
- Bone marrow hypoplasia
- Chronic nephritis
- Administration of drugs like chloramphenicol, streptomycin, Griesofulvin
- Ingestion of metals; arsenic, lead, mercury, thallium
Clinical Findings:
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Lethargy
- Bleeding
- Pale mucus membrane
- Susceptible to secondary infection
Diagnosis:
- On basis of history and clinical findings
- On basis of blood count; CBC shows marked decreased in total leukocyte count
Treatment:
- Treatment usually depends on symptoms manifested and causes causing leukopenia
- Animals with bacterial infection should be administered broad-spectrum antibiotics to fight-off infection
- Corticosteroid therapy should be withheld for period of time
- Ferrous sulphate injection or iron injection should be administered to increase blood flow in tissues and stimulate erythropoiesis.
- Administration of fluids with dextrose saline in case of anorexia, severe diarrhoea, vomiting to restore fluid volume in body.
- In case of parasitic infection, anti-helmintic drugs should be administered.
- In case of tick infection in ehrlichiosis, oxytetracycline should be given IV for prolonged period to clear off infection
- Animals should be vaccinated against infectious diseases causing leukopenia.
- Antipyretic drugs should be administered to control fever and pain.