What can cause low white blood cell count besides cancer?

What can cause low white blood cell count besides cancer?

What causes a low white blood cell count?

• Cancer (caused by chemotherapy treatments)
• Bone marrow disorders or damage.
• Autoimmune disorders (problems with the immune system in which the body attacks itself), such as lupus.
• Infections (including tuberculosis and HIV)
• Immune system conditions.
• Crohn’s disease.
• Malnutrition.

Is low white blood cell count something to worry about?

A low WBC count can be serious because it increases your risk of developing a potentially life-threatening infection. Seek prompt medical care if you have a low WBC count and have signs of an infection, such as a fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, or skin lesions.

What does it mean when white blood cells are low in cats?

Blood work is part of the diagnostic process. White blood cells (WBC) are the soldiers of your kitty’s immune system, so a low count means the army is low on manpower.

What does it mean when your white blood cell count is low?

If the WBC is already low it means that the body is unhealthy (usually an underlying cause) and cannot fight infection off on it’s own. Sometimes vets will give antibiotics to ensure that the kitty doesn’t get sick from anything else while the WBC is low since the immune system is compromised in this state.

When to see a vet for leukopenia in cats?

Cats that develop leukopenia need to be seen by a vet sooner rather than later so their condition can be diagnosed and treated to prevent things from getting any worse. There are many reasons why a cat’s white blood cell count might be too low.

What kind of blood test to check for anemia in cats?

These tests may include: A complete blood count to identify how anemic your cat is and including a reticulocyte count to identify if your cat’s body is responding to the anemia and making new red blood cells* A blood film to look for parasites and blood cell characteristics

What causes low neutrophil count in cats?

Certain viral diseases (like Parvovirus in dogs and panleukopenia virus in cats) can cause low neutrophil numbers. Other viruses, (like dog distemper) are less predictable. When they do cause low neutrophil counts, it is usually early on in the infection.

What causes low RBC in cats?

A low red blood cell count can be caused by feline infectious anemia, heinz body anemia, toxic ingestion, FeLV, FIV, renal failure, internal parasites or bleeding from an organ.

What causes high WBC in cats?

White blood cells fight off infections in a cat’s body. A high white count may be caused by stress, infection, parasites, allergic reactions or certain medications. A low white count is very serious as well and may leave your kitten vulnerable to disease.

What causes decreased white blood cells?

A low white blood cell count usually is caused by: Viral infections that temporarily disrupt the work of bone marrow. Certain disorders present at birth (congenital) that involve diminished bone marrow function. Cancer (or other diseases that damage bone marrow) Autoimmune disorders that destroy white blood cells or bone marrow cells.