Platelet Estimates from Blood Smears in Dogs

Anne Barger, DVM, MS, DACVP, University of Illinois

ArticleLast Updated January 20192 min read

In the Literature

Paltrinieri S, Paciletti V, Zambarbieri J. Analytical variability of estimated platelet counts on canine blood smears. Vet Clin Pathol. 2018;47(2):197-204.


The Research …

Platelet estimates from peripheral blood smears are a vital component of a CBC. Automated cell counters do a sufficient job of counting platelets via various methodologies (primarily optical laser and impedance counting), but there are obstacles that limit the reliability of automated platelet counts, such as variation in platelet size and erroneous counting of cell debris, cell fragments, and microcytic RBCs. Platelet clumping can also present a significant challenge to automated platelet counts.

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