White blood cell differentials in dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) in comparison to those in dogs without cardiac disease

Objectives: To investigate if dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) have significant leukogram changes and for associations between leukogram, disease severity and survival time. Methods: Retrospective study of CHF patients (n=75) due to myxomatous degenerative valvular disease (MVMD) or dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and healthy controls (n=75). Haematology results and analyses of WBC variables were compared between CHF dogs and controls. From echocardiographic results of CHF dogs, indicators of disease severity were retrieved and associations were explored between these variables, survival time and leukogram results. Results: Total WBC count (