I HUMAN CASE WEEK #4 69 YEAR OLD MALE REASON
FOR ENCOUNTER: CHEST PAIN (CLASS 6531) LOCATION ;
OUTPATIENT CLINIC WITH X-RAY,ECG,AND
LABARATORY CAPABILITIES. COMPLETE ACTUAL CASE
STUDY NEWEST 2026
What is a PCV? What does PCV stand for? What is another name for PCV? Describe
the procedure for obtaining a PCV. - ANSWER: 1) PCV = percentage of whole blood
made up of erythrocytes
2) PCV stands for Packed Cell Volume
3) Another name = hematocrit
4) Procedure = 1. collect blood in hematocrit tube 3/4 full from EDTA tube, 2. add
clay sealant at bottom of tube, 3. centrifuge tube for 2-5 minutes, 4. read PCV from
card reader
What is a buffy coat and what is in it? - ANSWER: 1) buffy coat = layer of WBCs
between RBCs and plasma
2) buffy coat coat consists of leukocytes and thrombocytes
What color is normal plasma? What are some abnormal colors for plasma and what
do these colors indicate? - ANSWER: 1) normal = clear & pale-straw yellow
2) abnormal = red, white/cloudy, yellow
3) red = hemolysis =improper handling or hemolytic anemia
white/cloudy = lipemic = pathologic or animal recently ate,
yellow = icteric = liver disease or hemolytic anemia
Describe the method for determining total protein. - ANSWER: 1) take spun
hematocrit
2) break above buffy coat - in plasma
3) place plasma onto refractometer glass surface
4) close refractometer "cap"
5) read TP where blue and white line meet
What tube type color could you use if you needed a plasma sample? What color of
tubes could you use if you needed a serum sample? What is the difference between
plasma and serum? - ANSWER: 1) plasma = purple top (EDTA)or green top (heparin)
2) serum = red or tiger top
Plasma comes from uncoagulated blood and has fibrinogen. Serum comes from
coagulated blood and does not have fibrinogen.
What does a low PCV indicate? What does an elevated PCV indicate? Is Cooper's PCV
low, high, or normal? - ANSWER: low PCV = anemia
high PCV = dehydration or splenic contraction of an excitement animal
Cooper's PCV is low, normal is between 37-55
, Calculate Cooper's MCV. What does MCV stand for? What does it measure?
Calculate Coopers MCHC. What does MCHC stand for? What does it measure? -
ANSWER: MCV (mean corpuscular volume): measure of avg size of RBCs
PCV/RBC x10 or (P/R x 10) ........12/4.5 x10 = 53.3
MCHC= Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration: measure of the concentration
of hemoglobin in the avg RBCs
Hmg/PCV x 100 or (H/P x100) ......9.3/24 x 100= 38.75
Since Cooper has nRBCs, calculate the corrected WBC count. - ANSWER: (100/ 100+4)
x 12,000 = 11,538
Why is it important to calculate absolute WBC values rather than using only
differential percentages? - ANSWER: Absolute values are more accurate and show
abnormalities more so than a percentage will. Percentages may be normal, but
abnormal absolutes may still be seen.
What do microcytic, hypochromic RBCs look like microscopically? What do
schistocytes look like microscopically? What do these abnormalities indicate? -
ANSWER: 1) microcytic, hypochromic = smaller RBCs that have decreased staining
intensity. Typically darker around the periperhy of the RBCs and is pale in center
2) schistocytes = nonspherical RBC fragments -
3) abnormalities:
-Microcytic: iron deficiency
-hypochromic: low hemoglobin and low MCV
- Schistocytes: intravasucular trauma, DIC, fibrin strand breakage of RBC, vascular
neoplasms, iron deficiency
What is a reticulocyte? What does a reticulocyte count asses? Describe the steps to
perform this test. If you counted 50 reticulocytes out of 100 RBCs, how would you
report your results to the vet? - ANSWER: reticulocyte = immature RBC that still
contains its organelles; it assesses bone marrow response to anemia
1) place equal drops of blood and NMB into test tube
2) allow mixture to stand for 15 minutes
3) make a smear from mixture
4) allow smear to dry and look under microscope
Report 5% reticulocytes to the vet
How does a regenerative anemia differ from a nonregenerative anemia? With some
cases of nonregenerative anemias, veterinarians may choose to take a bone marrow
sample. Describe the equipment needed to obtain a bone marrow sample and the
procedure for preparing and evaluating the bone marrow smear. - ANSWER: 1)
regenerative anemia = bone marrow responding to decrease in RBC, bone marrow
will increase RBC production and release reticulocytes; nonregenerative anemia =
FOR ENCOUNTER: CHEST PAIN (CLASS 6531) LOCATION ;
OUTPATIENT CLINIC WITH X-RAY,ECG,AND
LABARATORY CAPABILITIES. COMPLETE ACTUAL CASE
STUDY NEWEST 2026
What is a PCV? What does PCV stand for? What is another name for PCV? Describe
the procedure for obtaining a PCV. - ANSWER: 1) PCV = percentage of whole blood
made up of erythrocytes
2) PCV stands for Packed Cell Volume
3) Another name = hematocrit
4) Procedure = 1. collect blood in hematocrit tube 3/4 full from EDTA tube, 2. add
clay sealant at bottom of tube, 3. centrifuge tube for 2-5 minutes, 4. read PCV from
card reader
What is a buffy coat and what is in it? - ANSWER: 1) buffy coat = layer of WBCs
between RBCs and plasma
2) buffy coat coat consists of leukocytes and thrombocytes
What color is normal plasma? What are some abnormal colors for plasma and what
do these colors indicate? - ANSWER: 1) normal = clear & pale-straw yellow
2) abnormal = red, white/cloudy, yellow
3) red = hemolysis =improper handling or hemolytic anemia
white/cloudy = lipemic = pathologic or animal recently ate,
yellow = icteric = liver disease or hemolytic anemia
Describe the method for determining total protein. - ANSWER: 1) take spun
hematocrit
2) break above buffy coat - in plasma
3) place plasma onto refractometer glass surface
4) close refractometer "cap"
5) read TP where blue and white line meet
What tube type color could you use if you needed a plasma sample? What color of
tubes could you use if you needed a serum sample? What is the difference between
plasma and serum? - ANSWER: 1) plasma = purple top (EDTA)or green top (heparin)
2) serum = red or tiger top
Plasma comes from uncoagulated blood and has fibrinogen. Serum comes from
coagulated blood and does not have fibrinogen.
What does a low PCV indicate? What does an elevated PCV indicate? Is Cooper's PCV
low, high, or normal? - ANSWER: low PCV = anemia
high PCV = dehydration or splenic contraction of an excitement animal
Cooper's PCV is low, normal is between 37-55
, Calculate Cooper's MCV. What does MCV stand for? What does it measure?
Calculate Coopers MCHC. What does MCHC stand for? What does it measure? -
ANSWER: MCV (mean corpuscular volume): measure of avg size of RBCs
PCV/RBC x10 or (P/R x 10) ........12/4.5 x10 = 53.3
MCHC= Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration: measure of the concentration
of hemoglobin in the avg RBCs
Hmg/PCV x 100 or (H/P x100) ......9.3/24 x 100= 38.75
Since Cooper has nRBCs, calculate the corrected WBC count. - ANSWER: (100/ 100+4)
x 12,000 = 11,538
Why is it important to calculate absolute WBC values rather than using only
differential percentages? - ANSWER: Absolute values are more accurate and show
abnormalities more so than a percentage will. Percentages may be normal, but
abnormal absolutes may still be seen.
What do microcytic, hypochromic RBCs look like microscopically? What do
schistocytes look like microscopically? What do these abnormalities indicate? -
ANSWER: 1) microcytic, hypochromic = smaller RBCs that have decreased staining
intensity. Typically darker around the periperhy of the RBCs and is pale in center
2) schistocytes = nonspherical RBC fragments -
3) abnormalities:
-Microcytic: iron deficiency
-hypochromic: low hemoglobin and low MCV
- Schistocytes: intravasucular trauma, DIC, fibrin strand breakage of RBC, vascular
neoplasms, iron deficiency
What is a reticulocyte? What does a reticulocyte count asses? Describe the steps to
perform this test. If you counted 50 reticulocytes out of 100 RBCs, how would you
report your results to the vet? - ANSWER: reticulocyte = immature RBC that still
contains its organelles; it assesses bone marrow response to anemia
1) place equal drops of blood and NMB into test tube
2) allow mixture to stand for 15 minutes
3) make a smear from mixture
4) allow smear to dry and look under microscope
Report 5% reticulocytes to the vet
How does a regenerative anemia differ from a nonregenerative anemia? With some
cases of nonregenerative anemias, veterinarians may choose to take a bone marrow
sample. Describe the equipment needed to obtain a bone marrow sample and the
procedure for preparing and evaluating the bone marrow smear. - ANSWER: 1)
regenerative anemia = bone marrow responding to decrease in RBC, bone marrow
will increase RBC production and release reticulocytes; nonregenerative anemia =
