2015 Pan Pacific Veterinary Conference

Cytologic examination by a clinical pathologist is always recommended, but with appropriate sampling, careful slide staining technique and practice, a provisional diagnosis can often be expediently made by the examining veterinarian. This allows for earlier instigation of appropriate therapy, or euthanasia prior to expensive and sometimes prolonged therapies for hopeless cases. Submission of appropriate samples to a specialist diagnostic laboratory is still recommended, but cytological interpretation of emergency case material is an essential skill for the equine veterinarian. A case based approach will be used to review some interesting cases where abdominocentesis or thoracocentesis cytologies, bronchoalveolar lavage, tracheal wash, synovial fluid or cerebrospinal fluid were pivotal to the final diagnosis. Examples of normal, septic, inflammatory and neoplastic conditions will be presented. Cases include: acute and chronic peritonitis, uterine prolapse and secondary metritis, cutaneous lymphoma, sinonasal cryptococcus, granulomatous pneumonia, pure red cell aplasia and disseminated large granular lymphoma. Some cases contributions have been provided by Dr. Katharyn Mitchell BVSc, DACVIM-LAIM include Anaplasmosis, EIPH and RAO, esophageal perforation and gastric rupture.