Erythrocyte agglutination associated with heparin treatment in three horses.
In vitro erythrocyte agglutination developed in 3 hospitalized horses receiving heparin treatment. The agglutination caused artifactual decreases in erythrocyte counts and increases in mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values. Treatment of cell suspensions with trypsin eliminated the agglutination and the changes in erythrocyte count and MCV. Similar abnormalities in erythrocyte counts and MCV have been reported in healthy horses treated with heparin and have been cited as evidence of hemolysis and regenerative anemia.
D000818:Animals; D003085:Colic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006384:Hemagglutination / Q000187:drug effects*; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male
D006493:Heparin