Are Platelet Indices Useful in the Clinico Pathological Evaluation of Thrombocytopenic Dogs with Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis?

Thrombocytopenia is a common clinical syndrome seen in emergency veterinary patients and is the most common acquired hemostatic defect of dogs. Around 180 dogs brought to the Madras Veterinary College Teaching Hospital with clinical signs of thrombocytopenia and related spontaneous bleeding tendencies were evaluated for and usefulness of Platelet Indices useful in Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis and Leptospirosis. The platelet indices were measured and the platelet morphology, status of activation, size and shape of the platelets was documented. The Platelet histogram of the platelet counts were plotted against the Mean Platelet Volume (MPV), Platelet Distribution Width (PDW) and Plateletcrit (PCT) and the platelet parameters of the thrombocytopenia group were compared with the control. The platelet indices did not have any diagnostic role in any of the thrombocytopenic disease in dogs with Ehrlichiosis and Leptospirosis. Where as an increased MPV was detected in Babesiosis affected dogs which can be adapted as a screening methodology to identify Babesiosis. Like the erythrocytic indices, the platelet indices seem important and need to be focused to detect platelet abnormalities in dogs affected with thrombocytopenia.