VCP 411: Medicine Section

INCREASED AND DECREASED PCV

• Dehydration: shock, chronic alveolar disease.
• Fear/excitement: strenuous activity, endocrine disorder, renal tumors
• Anabolic steroids, altitudes.
• Evaporation. Prolonged contact with EDTA cause RBC swelling and raise the PCV by 2-5%.

Dehydration:

• Increased water loss, vomiting, diarrhea and polyuric disorders e.g. Diabetes insipidus, chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, Cushing Syndrome, primary liver damage, decreased water intake.

Decreased PCV:

• Anemia.
• Late pregnancy
• Tranquilization and anesthesia
• Haemolysis
• Excess EDT A 1 mgi ml osmotic withdrawal of water from the cells can reduce the PCV by 5-10%.
• Clots in the blood sample – insufficient EDTA.