Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Plasma transfusion effect on blood clots in dogs with immune anemia
By Thompson, Mary F et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2004·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effect of a single plasma transfusion on thromboembolism in 13 dogs with primary immune-mediated hemolytic anemia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Thirteen dogs with primary immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (a condition where the immune system attacks red blood cells) were treated with fresh-frozen plasma and other medications like heparin and prednisone shortly after being admitted to the vet. The goal was to see if the plasma transfusion would help prevent blood clots, but it didn't significantly change the levels of a key protein involved in clotting. While none of the dogs died within the first two days of treatment, six out of ten dogs that passed away within a year had blood clots found during autopsy. Overall, the treatment did not show a clear benefit in preventing these complications.
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Abstract
Thirteen dogs with primary immune-mediated hemolytic anemia received fresh-frozen plasma within 12 hours of admission, in addition to unfractionated heparin and other therapies, such as prednisone, azathioprine, and packed red blood cell transfusion. Antithrombin activity was quantified prior to transfusion and at 30 minutes and 48 hours after transfusion. Plasma antithrombin activity did not change significantly after a single plasma transfusion. There were no deaths in the first 48 hours of treatment. Thromboembolism was identified at necropsy in six of 10 dogs that died within 12 months of admission. There was no significant difference in the incidence of thromboembolism between the current treatment group and a historical control group.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15533964/