Clinical Pathology and Diagnostics Flashcards
7 cards from real DVM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Clinical Pathology and Diagnostics flashcards as text
A cat has a platelet count of 28,000/µL with large platelets on smear and no evidence of bleeding. What should be ruled out first?
Answer: Platelet clumping artifact
Feline platelets commonly clump in EDTA samples, causing a falsely low count; smear evaluation for clumps is essential before diagnosing true thrombocytopenia.
Which urine sediment finding is pathognomonic for ethylene glycol toxicity in dogs?
Answer: Calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals
Calcium oxalate monohydrate (hippurate) crystals in urine sediment are characteristic of ethylene glycol metabolism and are highly diagnostic.
A dog has an ALT of 850 IU/L and AST of 420 IU/L with normal ALP. Which organ is most likely the primary source?
Answer: Liver
ALT is highly liver-specific in dogs, and marked elevation with concurrent AST rise points to hepatocellular injury as the primary source.
A horse has peritoneal fluid with a total protein of 3.8 g/dL and nucleated cell count of 12,000/µL with 90% neutrophils. What is the diagnosis?
Answer: Septic peritonitis
Elevated protein and a predominantly neutrophilic pleocytosis above 10,000/µL in equine peritoneal fluid indicates septic peritonitis.
On a blood smear from a febrile dog returning from the southeastern US, you observe morulae within neutrophils. Which organism is implicated?
Answer: Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Anaplasma phagocytophilum infects neutrophils and forms characteristic morulae (intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies) within these cells.
A dog with suspected Addison's disease has a sodium:potassium ratio of 19:1. What is the significance of this finding?
Answer: Supports hypoadrenocorticism; ratio below 27:1 is suspicious
A Na:K ratio below 27:1 raises suspicion for hypoadrenocorticism due to aldosterone deficiency causing sodium loss and potassium retention.
Which finding on synovial fluid analysis is most consistent with septic arthritis in a dog?
Answer: Nucleated cell count >40,000/µL with >90% neutrophils and intracellular bacteria
Septic arthritis is characterized by markedly elevated nucleated cell counts (>40,000/µL), predominantly degenerate neutrophils, and intracellular bacteria on cytology.