Megakaryocyte cytoplasmic fragments and ragocytes in the peripheral blood of a domestic cat infected with Anaplasma

In this case report, the author reports three strong and highly unusual changes in the peripheral blood of a domestic cat infected with Anaplasma. A freshly made blood smear from the cat Anaplasma had a shower of about 100 variably large to huge cytoplasmic fragments of megakaryocyte cytoplasm along the feathered edge. These had budding of platelets at their margins. Neutrophils with red cytoplasmic inclusions resembling ragocytes and neutrophils with ingested round inclusions of nuclear material were seen in a 1-day-old EDTA blood sample but not the freshly made blood smear. The cells with nuclear material resembled LE cells or alternatively Tart cells.