Morphologic characteristics of peripheral blood cells of moose in Sweden

In order to interpret the morphologic changes of blood cells in diseased moose (Alces alces) with any validity, it is first necessary to obtain sufficient reference material to establish normal morphology. Blood was collected from 74 apparently healthy chemically immobilized moose in northern Sweden. Blood smears were prepared, then stained with May-Grunewald Giemsa stain. Morphologic characteristics of the peripheral blood cells were studied using light microscopy, and described. Cattle cells were used for purposes of comparison. Moose neutrophils showed prominent basophilic granules in the cytoplasm and a four to six lobed nucleus. The cytoplasmic granules of the eosinophils were very small. Moose basophils contained fewer cytoplasmic granules, than those of cattle. The morphology of lymphocytes and monocytes was similar to that of cattle. A slight to moderate amount of basophilic stippling and Howell-Jolly bodies was common in erythrocytes from both yearlings and adults. A generally high erythrocyte sedimentation rate was observed, but rouleaux formation was rare in the blood smears.