Acute intravascular hemolytic anemia in the black rhinoceros: hematologic and immunohematologic observations

To investigate the syndrome of acute intravascular hemolytic anemia in the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), laboratory techniques used in the differential diagnosis of hemolytic anemias were performed on blood samples from 6 black rhinoceroses: 3 nonrelated healthy rhinoceroses, 1 rhinoceros with iron deficiency anemia, and 2 rhinoceroses with intravascular hemolysis. Osmotic fragility, erythrocyte membrane protein composition, hemoglobin electrophoresis, and hemoglobin stability did not distinguish between healthy and affected (anemia or hemolysis) rhinoceroses. Polyclonal antiglobulin reagents were prepared in rabbits, using whole rhinoceros serum and purified rhinoceros immunoglobulin G. These reagents were nonreactive against erythrocytes of the healthy and iron-deficient rhinoceroses. Reactions with RBC from the rhinoceros with fatal hemolytic anemia indicated increased membrane coating by the third component of complement; this was not evident in a second rhinoceros that survived a hemolytic event.