I’m never excited when I diagnose a cat with anaemia: vague signs, confusing diagnostics, and what feels like a not-so-great prognoses. But are they really that hopeless?

In this episode, feline medicine specialist Dr Rachel Korman joins us demystify the anaemic cat and offer a clear, practical diagnostic framework that will give you more confidence and better outcomes the next time you see a cat with a low PCV.

Some highlights from this conversation:

• A step-by-step approach to categorising anaemia.
• Regenerative vs. non-regenerative: what it actually means in cats, and how to interpret the data.
• Why IMHA in cats doesn’t look like IMHA in dogs — and how to recognise it.
• Haemoplasma infections (like Mycoplasma):  When to treat, how to treat, PCR testing, and what the results really tell you.
• Age-specific differentials: what to prioritise in young vs. older cats.
• Supportive care: what works, what’s myth.
• Prognosis pitfalls: why PCV alone doesn’t predict survival.

This episode will help you approach feline anaemia with more clarity, structure, and - dare we say - optimism.

💡 Proudly supported by Vetnostics Pathology: Australia's largest network of veterinary pathologists and internal medicine consultants. Learn how Vetnostics can support your work-up of complex anaemia cases with comprehensive PCR panels and diagnostic expertise.

🎧 Want more clinical deep dives? Subscribe at vvn.supercast.com for 600+ episodes covering small animal medicine, surgery and ECC. 

Upcoming conferences that I’m excited to attend:

• Vets On Tour snow conferences (https://vetsontour.com) in Wānaka, NZ (August ’250), and Nozawa Onsen, Japan (Feb ’26)
• ANZCVS Science Week, 24-25 July 2025. https://vetscienceweek.com.au
• ⁠IVECCS 2025⁠, San Diego, September 4-8

Get help with your tricky cases in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

V⁠⁠isit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for show notes and resources related to this episode.

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Episode Topics and Timestamps05:14 – Categorising anaemia06:00 – Regenerative vs. non-regenerative07:42 – Haemolytic anaemias in cats17:17 – Clinical signs and first tests18:43 – PCV/TP interpretation27:48 – Common causes by age31:38 – Mycoplasma diagnosis and treatment35:04 – Recognising haemolysis39:38 – PCR and anaemia panels48:53 – Bone marrow biopsy tips54:52 – Supportive treatments