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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.
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