Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Red blood cell transfusions in dogs for anemia causes and outcomes
By Callan, M B et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·1996·Department of Clinical Studies, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canine red blood cell transfusion practice.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A review of red blood cell transfusions in 307 dogs showed that many received transfusions due to bleeding, destruction of red blood cells, or ineffective production of red blood cells. Most dogs who received transfusions were able to go home afterward, with 61% discharged from the hospital. While the amount of blood given and the reason for anemia didn't seem to affect survival rates, dogs that survived after bleeding had a significantly higher red blood cell count after their transfusion. Mild reactions occurred in a few dogs during or after the transfusion, but these were not serious and resolved on their own.
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Abstract
Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in 307 dogs were reviewed. A total of 658 units of RBCs, including 474 (72%) units of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) and 184 (28%) units of whole blood (WB), were administered. Reasons for transfusion included hemorrhage (n = 222), hemolysis (n = 43), and ineffective erythropoiesis (n = 42). The mean pretransfusion packed cell volume (PCV) of dogs with hemolysis (13%) was significantly lower (p less than 0.0001) than the mean pretransfusion PCVs of dogs with hemorrhage (21%) or ineffective erythropoiesis (18%). The mean total volume of PRBCs transfused was significantly greater (p less than 0.03) in dogs with hemolysis. Overall, 187 (61%) of 307 dogs were discharged from the hospital. Cause of anemia, pretransfusion PCV, and total volume of blood administered did not appear to influence survival. However, the mean adjusted posttransfusion PCV of dogs with hemorrhage was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in dogs that survived. Possible adverse events were observed during or shortly after RBC transfusion in 10 (3.3%) dogs; all reactions were mild and self-limiting, and none were hemolytic.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8784721/