Blood transfusion in dogs and cats - Review

Abstract

Blood transfusion represents a valuable tool emergency therapy, and sometimes it may be even a dangerous procedure, whose beneficial effects are temporary. Transfusional therapy aims to meet the basic needs to maintain the life of the animal, so that the clinician may have enough time to take the specific measures against the primary cause of anemia. The current trend is, whenever possible, to separate the whole blood and utilize its components, according to the needs of the patient, in order to reduce the risk of volume overloading and adverse reactions due to exposure to foreign antigens. There are basically six blood canines groups, which are designated by the main blood group antigen (AEC 1.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7). Three blood groups have been identified in cats, called A, B and AB. Group A is the most common. Differently from dogs, cats can present natural antibodies, what may promote reactions even at the first transfusion. Thus, blood transfusion is an important form of therapy, that is able to save the life of the animal, provided that appropriate precautions are taken in relation to administration, always in an attempt to reduce the possibilities of transfusional reactions.