Echinocytes in a canine blood smear

Wright's Stain, 500x

The observation of echinocytes (crenated red blood cells) has no important clinical significance and is not exclusive to one animal species. Echinocytes can be formed under several conditions and may found following fluid therapy, the exposure of red blood cells to ambient air when preparing blood smears (common artefact in the handling of pig blood), in the presence of uremia, or an excess of EDTA during blood sampling.