Platelet Indices and Erythrocyte Parameters in Healthy Police Dogs in Khartoum State – Sudan

Normal levels of platelets and erythrocytes parameters and the effect of breed and sex on them in healthy police dogs were determined. Forty-six dogs were used; 20 Labrador Retriever and 26 German Shepherd dogs comprising 21 males and 25 females, 20-83 months old. Five ml blood samples were collected from the cephalic vein; and analyzed using BK6100 Auto Hematology Analyzer. German Shepherd dogs showed significantly (p≤0.05) higher values than Labrador Retriever dogs for Mean platelet volume (MPV) (10.43±0.71vs. 9.9±0.73 FL), Red blood cells count (RBCs) (6.75±0.26 vs. 6.51±0.27 x1012 /L), and Hemoglobin concentration (HGB) (180.81±9.53vs.172.4±11.98 g/L), respectively. Highly positive significant correlations (p≤0.01) were found between Platelet count (PLT) and Plateletcrit (PCT) in males, females, and all dogs, and between MPV and Platelets distribution width (PDW) in all dogs. A highly positive significant correlation (p≤0.01) was found between MPV and PCT in all dogs. A highly negative significant correlation (p≤0.01) was found between PDW and RBCs and Red cell blood distribution width- index (RDW-CV) in males and all dogs. Also, a highly positive significant (p≤0.01) correlation was found between PDW and Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in all dogs. A highly significant negative correlation (p≤0.01) was found between MPV and RBCs in males. A highly negative significant correlation (p≤0.01) was found between MPV and RDW (CV) in males. However, highly positive significant correlations (p≤0.01) were found between MPV and Hematocrit (HCT) in females. The breed may influence platelets and erythrocyte parameters and this should be considered in clinical interpretations.