Low platelets

[Lindaloo]

A few weeks ago my 13 year old gelding skip sheath was swollen. Took him to vet. Blood work revealed low red blood cells. Was given steroids and put on red cell.

Sheath went down but started swelling again. Took him to a seasoned vet blood work revealed almost normal red blood cells but now a low platelet count. From 159 to 75 within a week. Put back on steroids and a vitamin tonic. Sheath is not swollen but next to his sheath where it meets the belly is puffy. Not hard just puffy and soft.

No temp. Eating. Drinking. My next step is Mississippi state. Anybody ever experience this before? Any idea?

[Second_Star_To_The_R]

What did the other labs look like?

[Simkie]

Horses often show minor low red count as they store a whole lot of red cells in their spleen. Unless he was worked directly prior to the draw, the low red count is probably unimportant. Iron deficiency anemia doesn’t occur in horses, outside of major blood loss.

It’s possible that the low platelet labs were just wrong, and that the platelets clumped in the tube.

Swollen sheath or that area around it is not necessarily unusual or worrisome, especially when it’s been quite warm and humid.

I don’t think it sounds like there’s really anything wrong with your horse?