title: Postnatal anemia and thrombocytosis in suckling rabbits: influence of delayed weaning and iron supplies.
abstract: Two groups of suckling rabbits were studied from the 15th to the 40th day after birth, one group receiving mothers milk only, the other having the choice of iron-containing food pellets from the 20th day. In the milk-only group, the plasma iron concentration (P-Fe), blood hemoglobin concentration (B-Hb), red blood cell count (B-RBC), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) declined continuously, whereas the hemoglobin mass of the blood (Hb-mass) remained unchanged, and the blood platelet count (B-PLTS), plasma platelet count (P-PLTS), and the estimated platelet release to the blood (PLT-release) showed a continuous rise. The milk-pellet group showed the same pattern until the 25th-30th day; thereafter, P-Fe, B-Hb, and Hb-mass rose markedly, whereas B-PLTS and PLT-release declined. At the time of weaning, both groups showed bimodal erythrocyte volume distribution curves. Thereafter, the milk-only group developed a pure microcytemia, whereas the milk-pellet group got normovolemic erythrocytes only. In conclusion, the erythropoiesis in suckling rabbits is characterized by a balanced recycling of an essentially constant amount of available iron, preventing rise of Hb-mass. The anemia thus reflects a failure of the Hb-mass to keep up with the growth-related rise in plasma volume. A close relationship exists between postnatal iron deficient microcytic anemia and thrombocytosis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Clinical Physiology, Ullevaal Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Holter
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Refsum
mesh_terms: D000751:Anemia, Neonatal / Q000209:etiology*; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004911:Erythrocyte Volume; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D010976:Platelet Count; D011817:Rabbits; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D007501:Iron