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CHANGES IN SYNOVIAL FLUID First broadcast on www.provet.co.uk on February 7th 2000 |
This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only.
You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.
Removal of synovial fluid is relatively easy from several joints and it's examination can be very helpful in establishing a diagnosis
The following table summarises the reported significance of changes in synovial fluid :
| Appearance | White Cell Count | %Neutrophils | Disease |
| Clear or slightly straw coloured | 0-2900 | 0-12% | Normal |
| Clear to yellow | 1000-3000 | 25% | Degenerative arthritis |
| Clear, yellow or blood-stained | Over 3000 | 25% | Trauma |
| Yellow - slightly cloudy | 5000-10000 | 10-65% | SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) |
| Cloudy | 5000-40000+ | 75% | Rheumatoid arthritis |
| Cloudy, grey or green | 80,000-200,000 | 90% | Septic arthritis |