1Which hemostatic components are defective in a primary hemostatic defect?
Platelet numbers, platelet function, vWF, or endothelium
2Which component is defective in a secondary hemostatic defect?
Coagulation factors
3What are the five parts of the initial assessment of a bleeding patient?
History, signalment, physical exam, screening tests, and differentiating primary vs. secondary disorder
4What bleeding pattern suggests a primary hemostatic defect?
Pinpoint mucosal surface bleeding (petechiae, ecchymoses, epistaxis, melena), scleral hemorrhage
5What are the four causes of a primary hemostatic defect?
Thrombocytopenia, thrombopathia (abnormal platelet function), vWD, vasculopathy (disorder)
6What bleeding pattern suggests a secondary hemostatic defect?
High-volume bleeding: cavitary hemorrhage (hemoabdomen, hemothorax, hemoarthrosis) and large hematomas
7What is hemarthrosis?
Bleeding into a joint
8What disorders cause secondary hemostatic defects?
Coagulation cascade disorders
9What are the three lab tests for primary hemostasis?
Platelet metrics, BMBT, vWF testing
10What does a platelet count measure, and on what sample is it performed?
Platelet numbers, on EDTA anticoagulated blood
11What is thrombocytopenia?
Decreased platelet count
12What is thrombocytosis?
Increased platelet count
13How does platelet clumping affect the platelet count?
Artifactually decreases it
14How does platelet clumping affect MPV?
Artifactually increases it
15What is pseudothrombocytopenia?
Falsely low platelet count due to platelet clumping
16Which species commonly show platelet clumping?
Cats and horses
17Which anticoagulant gives an accurate platelet count in cats and horses?
Citrate
18Where are platelet clumps often found on a smear?
Along the feathered edge

19At what magnification is a platelet estimate performed?
1000x (oil immersion)
20What is the platelet estimate formula?
Average PLTs x 20,000 = estimated platelet count
21What is the estimated count if there are 7 platelets per 1000x field? 20,000 plt/ ul in a 20um
140,000 plt/µL
22What is mean platelet volume (MPV)?
Average platelet size measured by hematology analyzer
23What are macroplatelets?
Larger platelets seen on blood smear

24What does increased MPV in a thrombocytopenic patient indicate?
Regenerative thrombocytopenia
25Why are younger platelets larger?
Large platelets indicate the marrow is making new platelets
26What causes congenital macrothrombocytopenia?
Mutation in beta-tubulin 1 resulting in having low numbers of gigantic platelets
27Which breed is most commonly affected by congenital macrothrombocytopenia?
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
28Does congenital macrothrombocytopenia cause bleeding?
No, large platelets compensate for the low count
29What is plateletcrit (PCT)?
Proportion of whole blood occupied by platelets (like HCT for RBCs), represents platelet mass
30What are PLT count and PCT in congenital macrothrombocytopenia?
Low PLT count, normal PCT
31What does buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT) assess?
All aspects of primary hemostasis
“A small cut is made in the cheek (buccal mucosa) and you time how long it bleeds.”
32What is the normal BMBT in most species?
<4 minutes
33What does vWF:Ag measure?
Patient vWF amount vs. healthy dog pool by ELISA (% of normal)
“is the key test. It's an ELISA comparing the patient's vWF to a pooled healthy dog sample. The result is a % of normal”
34What canine vWF:Ag range is normal?
What canine vWF:Ag range indicates vWD?
What vWF:Ag level puts a dog at risk of hemorrhage? EXAM
70-180%
0-49%
<35%
35What is von Willebrand disease?
Problem with vWF quantity or functionality
“vWD is a problem with vWF quantity or function (remember vWF is what GPIb on platelets sticks to”
36What defines type I vWD?
Decreased (but present) vWF, most common
- Doberman pinchers
37What defines type II vWD?
Inadequate vWF multimers, rare
“vWF is there but the long, active chains are missing“
38What defines type III vWD?
Complete absence of vWF
- Scotty dogs
39What are the four mechanisms of thrombocytopenia?
Consumption, destruction, sequestration (holding them away), decreased production
40What is increased platelet consumption?
Platelets used faster than they can be produced
41What are causes of platelet consumption?
Severe trauma, vasculitis, DIC, sepsis, viper envenomation
42What are causes of increased platelet destruction?
ITP (immune thrombocytopenia), tick-vector infections, neoplasia (hemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma)
43What is the most common cause of extreme thrombocytopenia (<50,000/µL) in dogs?
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
44What is platelet sequestration?
Platelets stored outside laminar blood flow
45What are causes of platelet sequestration?
Splenic dilation (resting, anesthesia, neoplasia), hypothermia (platelets rest along vessel wall), pulmonary congestion (sepsis)
46Does sequestration cause spontaneous hemorrhage?
Never; mild thrombocytopenia with normal MPV
47What are causes of decreased platelet production?
Bone marrow disorders; Medications, infections, myelophthisis, leukemia, immune destruction of megakaryocytes
48What is the MPV in decreased platelet production?
Normal, as marrow cannot make new platelets
49Which mechanisms of thrombocytopenia can be regenerative (↑ MPV)?
Consumption and destruction
50What platelet count causes spontaneous hemorrhage?
<20,000/µL
51What platelet count causes excessive surgical bleeding?
<50,000/µL
52What is thrombopathia? What is the most common type of thrombopathia?
1. Inherited or acquired platelet dysfunction
2. acquired
53What are causes of acquired thrombopathia?
Aspirin, clopidogrel, uremic acids/ketoacids, hypergammaglobulinemia
54What are the five major mechanisms of thrombocytosis?
Excitation (epinephrine response with splenic contraction), inflammation, drug-induced, iron deficiency anemia, neoplasia
“red is most common”
55Which drug commonly causes thrombocytosis?
Chronic corticosteroid therapy
56Which species normally have 2-3x more platelets?
Ruminants and mice