Acknowledgements and Preface

Acknowledgements

A book of this scope and magnitude would not be possible without the support and input of a number of key individuals. The authors gratefully acknowledge Ruth Ann Weiderhaft and Heather March for their role in facilitating communications among the authors and publishers and for keeping the authors "on task". Heather also played a significant role in producing the photomicrographs in the text. We also thank Dr. Karen Thomason, Dr. Bernard Feldman’s wife and a James Herriott type of veterinary practitioner, for keeping us in touch with the realities of everyday veterinary practice. Finally we thank the outstanding team members of the Metzger Animal Clinic for their daily patience, commitment and dedication.

Preface

This text is designed to assist the practicing small animal veterinarian in the interpretation of hematologic data. Emphasis is placed on both the quantitative (numeric) and qualitative (morphologic) evaluation of blood cells.

After a brief consideration of in-clinic approaches to hematology and available cell measurement methodologies (Chapters 2 - 3), the early chapters of the book (Chapters 4 - 10) systematically discuss the normal, abnormal, and artifactual findings for each cellular component of blood. The modified outline approach is intended to provide practitioners with quick and easy access to important information regarding a variety of hematologic abnormalities. However, the book is not intended as a complete treatise on hematology. For this purpose, readers are referred to excellent reference texts such as (Schalm’s Veterinary Hematology) and (John Harvey’s Atlas of Veterinary Hematology).

The latter chapters of the book (Chapters 11 - 12) illustrate an integrated and systematic approach to hemogram interpretation. Case studies (Chapter 12) will hopefully allow practitioners to practice and develop their interpretive skills and confidence. In addition, these cases illustrate the scope of abnormal hemograms encountered. While hemogram interpretation can indeed be challenging, rewards to both the practitioner and patient can be profound.