In this blood smear from a dog with microcytic hypochromic red blood cell (RBC) indices, there are two populations of RBCs: One that is hypochromic and fragmenting (schistocytes, keratocytes, acanthocytes) and the other which is normochromic and not fragmenting. The anemia was regenerative, with increased polychromatophils (arrowheads) and the dog had a marked leukocytosis (63,000 white blood cells/uL) with an inflammatory leukogram as seen by a neutrophilia with the presence of band neutrophils with mild toxic change (arrow). The dog was suffering from melena, indicating a hemorrhagic anemia, which had depleted iron stores resulting in a concurrent iron deficiency anemia. A bleeding tumor was found in the stomach (rapid stain).
