Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feline AB blood types and transfusion risks in Bangkok cats
By Sangkaew, Teerawee et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2021·Department of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The frequency of feline AB blood types and the risk of incompatibility reactions in Bangkok, Thailand, and vicinities.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study in Bangkok found that almost all domestic shorthair cats have type A blood, which means there's a very low risk of serious reactions from blood transfusions or neonatal isoerythrolysis (a condition where a mother cat's antibodies attack her kittens' red blood cells). Out of 229 domestic shorthair cats tested, none had type AB blood, and only a small percentage of Persian and Scottish Fold cats had type B blood. This information is important for cat owners, especially if their pet needs a blood transfusion or if they're considering breeding, as knowing a cat's blood type can prevent serious health issues.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mismatched blood transfusions and neonatal isoerythrolysis (NI) are life-threatening conditions in cats. The distribution of feline blood types, which varies geographically, can estimate the risks of mismatched transfusion reactions and NI due to random mating. OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to determine the frequency of feline AB blood types in Bangkok, Thailand, and surrounding vicinities and calculate the risks of transfusion reactions and NI in domestic shorthair (DSH) cats. METHODS: A standard tube method was performed to analyze the A/B antigen on erythrocytes. Reverse typing was performed to confirm blood types B and AB. RESULTS: Domestic shorthair (n = 229) and purebred (n = 91) cats were prospectively recruited from 39 districts in Bangkok and 11 districts in four nearby provinces. Overall, 97.5% and 2.5% of the cats were type A and type B, respectively. No cats were type AB. All DSH cats were type A. Type B blood was found in 17.1% of Persian and 4% of Scottish Fold cats. Due to the blood type frequencies in DSH cats, the potential risk of major transfusion reactions, minor transfusion reactions, or NI was 0%. CONCLUSIONS: This is a large study of feline blood types in Bangkok and vicinities. Type A blood was predominant in DSH cats and associated with a minimal risk for mismatched transfusion reactions and NI. Blood types A and B were found in Persian and Scottish Fold cats. Blood typing is mandatory for blood transfusion procedures and breeding purposes in cat populations.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34031915/