Toxic Neutrophils in Cats: Clinical and Clinicopathologic Features, and Disease Prevalence and Outcome—A Retrospective Case Control Study

Abstract

Toxic neutrophils exhibit a variety of nuclear and cytoplasmic abnormalities in Romanowsky-stained blood smears, and are associated with inflammation and infection. The purpose of the retrospective study reported here was to investigate the association of toxic neutrophils with clinicopathologic characteristics, diseases, and prognosis in cats. Cats with toxic neutrophils (n = 150) were compared with negative-control cats (n = 150). Statistical analyses included Fisher exact, independent t-, nonparametric Mann-Whitney, and χ2 tests. Cats with toxic neutrophils had significantly (P