THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN THE CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL

Blood samples were collected for the determination of platelet counts from 102 cavalier King Charles spaniels which had no history of bleedi ng disorders. Thrombocytopenia was found in 31 per cent of the samples when the lower reference limit was set at 100 X 10(9)/litre. The plat elet count of the males (mean +/- SD, 147 X 10(9)/litre +/- 15 X 10(9) /litre) was found to be significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of the females (mean +/- SD, 202 X 10(9)/litre +/- 13 X 10(9)/litre). The pla telet counts from a reference group of 16 normal beagles, analysed ide ntically, were not lower than 189 X 10(9)/litre and no significant dif ference was found between males (mean +/- SD, 249 X 10(9)/litre +/- 14 X 10(9)/litre) and females (mean SD,282 X 10(9)/litre +/- 20 X 10(9)/ litre).