Abstract

Platelets are the first line of defence against bleeding secondary to vascular injury and anomaly in their number or function may lead to mucucutaneous bleeding. Similarly to humans, several inherited thrombopathia and thrombocytopenia have been reported in animals. Each of these disorders is characterized by different clinical signs that reflect differences in molecular basis and disease phenotype. However, not all the inherited intrinsic platelets disorders cause haemorrhages. Asymptomatic inherited macrothrombocytopenia is a well-recognized disorder in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS) and recently it has been recognized in other canine breeds, such as Norfolk and Cairn Terriers. This disorder is not associated with abnormal bleeding but a misdiagnosis as inherited macrothrombocytopenia can lead to inappropriate diagnostic investigations and therapies. This presentation will discuss the molecular basis of canine asymptomatic inherited macrothrombocytopenia, its clinical presentation and the usefulness of automated hematologic analyser and new platelet parameters in order to identify and further characterize this condition.