HEMATOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL-CHANGES AND RESULTS OF AEROBIC BACTERIOLOGICAL CULTURING IN DOGS UNDERGOING SPLENECTOMY

Changes in complete blood count (CBC), bone marrow, reticulocyte count , coagulation profile, biochemical analysis, and serum iron: transferr in, and immunoglobulin M (IgM) concentrations were measured three and 10 days after splenectomy in 12 dogs, Spleens were cultured aerobicall y for bacteria and submitted for histopathological evaluation in 23 do gs undergoing splenectomy. There were no consistent changes in red blo od cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), or platelet counts, bone-marrow samples: or biochemical profiles, Serum iron, transferrin, and IgM co ncentrations remained normal. Eight (35%) bacterial cultures yielded g rowth. Five of the 23 dogs had pyrexic episodes two-to-five days after surgery. In contrast to previous reports done on healthy dogs, this s tudy shows that dogs with splenic disease have no characteristic chang es in hematological or biochemical parameters after splenectomy, Rathe r, the changes tended to reflect the primary disease process. Splenic vascular compromise or a decrease in processing of bacteria may have r esulted in the bacterial growth. There was no direct correlation to py rexic postoperative episodes.