cases of

Aim: To evaluate the important haematological values of the retrospective clinical cases of buffaloes presented to the Teaching Veterinary Hospital of the College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University, Ludhiana over a period of 4 years from January 2007 to December 2010. Materials and methods: The blood was collected from jugular vein in EDTA containing vials. Statistical analysis of haematological values with different case history/clinical signs was performed using SPSS 16.0 version by applying one way ANOVA at P<0.05. Clinical pathology of these cases was monitored by comparing hemogram values with the reference range. Results: The most common disorders found in water buffaloes were digestive disorders followed by fever and respiratory disorders. Haematological values viz. TLC, DLC (neutrophil, lymphocyte and eosinophil counts) showed significant differences depending upon the case history/clinical signs while haemoglobin count was found to be statistically nonsignificant. Conclusion: TLC and DLC are found to be the important indicators of health status of water buffaloes in general which are more related to clinical history/clinical signs of this species than other the haematological parameters viz. haemoglobin count.


Introduction
Therefore the present study was carried out to compare clinical signs/case history with laboratory Hematologic values are useful in determining the findings of important haematological parameters general health status of the animal [1] besides, it helps which play significant role in diagnosis and resultantly to differentially diagnose disease conditions, severity treatment regimens in clinical cases presented. of disease and monitor response to therapy.In general the complete blood count (CBC) is performed to assess

Materials and Methods
the general health status.It consists of parameters The blood samples of buffaloes along with related to erythrocyte, leukocyte and platelets viz.red clinical signs/history received over a period of 4 years blood cell count (TEC), packed cell volume (PCV), from January 2007 to December 2010 at the Pathology hemoglobin concentration (Hb), mean corpuscular unit of the Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory of College of volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Science University, Ludhiana were part of this study.All white blood cell (TLC) and differential leukocytic these samples were collected from the jugular vein in count (DLC).Amongst them Hb, TLC and DLC are (10%) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) routinely performed haematological parameters.The containing vials.The blood portal was done as per the important diagnostic information can be obtained by standard protocols of [5].The collected data was comparing the CBC values with clinical signs/ history analysed by using SPSS 16.0 version by applying one [2].There has been lot of discussion on the effect of way ANOVA at P<0.05.season on these parameters in healthy ruminants and

Results and Discussion
different disease conditions in controlled environment [3,4].
A total of 1025 haematological reports of clinical However, there is scarcity of information on cases of buffaloes were analyzed.These cases were buffaloes and their actual comparison of haematothen classified into different categories depending logical values of different clinical cases and their upon the clinical signs and history of cases involved clinical signs/case history.Similarly it is not always and problems reported such as nervous signs (4.09%), possible to perform all the CBC values in every case urinary disorders (3.06%), cardiovascular disorders due to lack of facilities, time constrains and economic (0.78%), digestive disorders (36.87%), cases of fever conditions.
of unknown origin (25.46%), integumentary disorders (1.65%), respiratory signs (11.21%), musculoskeletal miscellaneous disorders, respiratory disorders and in disorders (0.97%), cases suspected for tumour (0.48%), fever.The most common parasitic infestations in these parasitic infestations (1.45%), nutritional disorders (2.53%), buffaloes was found to be anaplasmosis, babesiosis and reproductive disorders (5.65%) and miscellaneous hook worm infestations when correlated with the disorders (5.17%).The important haematological para-reports from the parasitology unit.Similar findings meters of these cases such as haemoglobin, total were also recorded by [9].The respiratory disorders leukocyte count and differential leukocyte count were most commonly observed during this study were studied.The data was analyzed by using statistical pneumonia and hemorrhagic septicaemia.Fever was analysis software programme SPSS 16.0.The results found to be one of the most common manifestations in of statistical analysis and reference haematological observed clinical cases accompanied by the values for the buffalo [6] are given in table-1.
leukocytosis.The total leukocyte count found to be The haemoglobin level in all the cases did not increased probably due to various physiologic vary significantly with the type of disorder but average responses besides infections or inflammatory changes haemoglobin level of all these cases was found to be on going on in these animals.Stressful conditions can lower side of the reference value.Similar findings were increase cardiac output and blood pressure resulting in also reported by [7] who observed non significant to leukocytosis.Stress along with infections and differences between haemoglobin values of diseased inflammations leads to alterations in immunity which cattle.The lower haemoglobin values could be may play role in increased incidence and severity of correlated with mild increase in positive acute phase respiratory diseases.Similarly other studies also proteins in blood which are iron binding protein, observed neutrophilic leukocytosis [10,11] in stressful especially hepatoglobin whose level significantly conditions.increase in different inflammatory conditions [8].
The highest neutrophil count was observed in The range of mean haemoglobin level in different cases suspected for cardiovascular disorders (74.5 clinical cases varied from (10.7±0.11g/dl) in cases ±1.64 %) and urinary disorders (66.27 ±2.78%) while with history of digestive disorders to (11.42 ±0.51 g/dl) cases with history of miscellaneous disorders (52.96 in buffaloes with musculoskeletal problems.Lower Hb ±2.72%) did not show significant increase in neutrophil levels might be due to the decreased absorption of the count.Cardiovascular disorders in these buffaloes haemoglobin precursors in digestive disorders viz.
were mostly related with foreign body syndrome which diarrhoea, enteritis etc. Similarly in tumour cases, is one of the most common syndromes in buffaloes average Hb level (9.4±0.72 g/dl) was found towards because of their indiscriminate feeding habits [12].The lower side of the reference range which might be due to findings of higher neutrophilic count were correlated the blood loss at the site of the neoplasia and with the inflammatory responses like bacterial replacement of erythropoetic tissue.Remaining infection, abomasal displacement, necrosis, uremia, diseased conditions did not showed great variation in toxicosis etc. in these cases.Concurrent observations the haemoglobin level.
were reported by [13] and [14] who reported physio-The total leukocytic count, neutrophil, lympho-logical responses like fear, excitement and exercise cyte and eosinophil count varied significantly with result in neutrophilia besides bacterial infection, clinical signs and history while monocyte and basophil necrosis, neoplasia etc.Interestingly, in the present count were statistically non significant.The overall study none of the category of disorders showed total leukocyte count was found to be increased neutropenia or absolute lymphopenia.The highest (12567.74±235.82cells/cu mm).In the present study, eosinophil count above average was found in cases leukocytosis was observed in parasitic diseases, with history of parasitic infestation which is well

Competing interests
known feature of this type of disorder [13,14].Musculoskeletal disorders in buffaloes did not reveal Authors declare that they have no competing interests.presence of eosinophils during the differential count of Hb-Haemoglobin, TLC-Total leucocytes count, N-Neutrophil, L-Leucocyte, E-Eosinophil, M-Monocyte, B-Basophils Means bearing same superscript in a row differ significantly (p<0.05) with clinical signs/history.

Table - 1
. Statistical analysis and reference haematological values for the buffalo