Platelet Indices and Erythrocyte Parameters in Apparently Healthy Police Dogs in Khartoum State, Sudan

Abstract

The normal levels of platelets and erythrocytes parameters together with the effect of breed and sex on them in healthy police dogs were determined. Forty-six dogs were used; 20 Labrador Retriever and 26 German Shepherd dogs comprising 21 males and 25 females. The dogs were 20-83 months old. Five ml blood samples were collected from the cephalic vein; and analyzed using BK6100 Auto Hematology Analyzer. German Shepherd dogs showed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher values than Labrador Retriever dogs for Mean platelet volume (MPV) (10.43 ± 0.71 vs. 9.9 ± 0.73 FL), Red blood cells count (RBCs) (6.75 ± 0.26 vs. 6.51 ± 0.27 x 1012 /L), and Hemoglobin concentration (HGB) (180.81 ± 9.53 vs. 172.4 ± 11.98g/L), respectively. Highly positive significant correlations (p ≤ 0.01) were found between Platelet count (PLT) and Plateletcrit (PCT) in males, females, and all dogs, and between MPV and Platelets distribution width (PDW) in all dogs. A highly positive significant correlation (p ≤ 0.01) was found between MPV and PCT in all dogs. A highly negative significant correlation (p ≤ 0.01) was found between PDW and RBCs and Red cell blood distribution width- index (RDW-CV) in males and all dogs. Also, a highly positive significant (p ≤ 0.01) correlation was found between PDW and Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in all
dogs. A highly significant negative correlation (p ≤ 0.01) was found between MPV and RBCs in males. A highly negative significant correlation (p ≤ 0.01) was found between MPV and RDW (CV) in males. However, highly positive significant correlations (p ≤ 0.01) were found between MPV and Hematocrit (HCT) in females. It was concluded that breed of dogs may influence platelets and erythrocyte parameters and this should be considered in clinical interpretations.

Keywords: Labrador retriever; Erythrocyte parameters; German shepherd; Platelet parameters