Craig Thompson, DVM, DACVP

In the diagnostic work up of any case, one of the most frequently used tests is the complete blood count (CBC).

Day in and day out, clinical pathology is used to make diagnoses, assess response to treatment and to screen healthy animals for occult disease.

In the diagnostic work up of some cases, there are indications to employ cytology as a diagnostic tool.

In the diagnostic work up of any case, one of the most powerful and often overlooked tools is the complete blood count with peripheral blood smear and its derivations.

Although one of the most frequently utilized diagnostic tools, the full power of the complete blood count and ancillary testing is often untapped.