Which statement best describes reticulocyte testing in dogs and horses?

Which statement best describes reticulocyte testing in dogs and horses?

• A. Reticulocytes are a reliable indicator in both dogs and horses.
• B. Reticulocytes are a reliable indicator in dogs, but not in horses because horses do not have reticulocytes in peripheral blood.
• C. Reticulocytes are only present in cats.
• D. Reticulocytes are not used in veterinary medicine.

Answer: (B)

Reticulocytes reveal how the bone marrow responds to anemia by releasing immature red blood cells into circulation. In dogs, counting reticulocytes is a reliable way to assess regenerative anemia: a rise in circulating reticulocytes after an anemia event shows the marrow is actively producing new RBCs. In horses, circulating reticulocytes are not normally present in peripheral blood, so reticulocyte counts don’t provide a dependable signal of marrow activity. Therefore, reticulocyte testing is useful in dogs but not in horses. The other statements don’t fit because reticulocytes aren’t a universal indicator across species, and reticulocyte testing is indeed used in veterinary medicine for dogs.

Reticulocytes reveal how the bone marrow responds to anemia by releasing immature red blood cells into circulation. In dogs, counting reticulocytes is a reliable way to assess regenerative anemia: a rise in circulating reticulocytes after an anemia event shows the marrow is actively producing new RBCs. In horses, circulating reticulocytes are not normally present in peripheral blood, so reticulocyte counts don’t provide a dependable signal of marrow activity. Therefore, reticulocyte testing is useful in dogs but not in horses. The other statements don’t fit because reticulocytes aren’t a universal indicator across species, and reticulocyte testing is indeed used in veterinary medicine for dogs.