Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Whole blood transfusions in 91 cats for anemia and blood loss
By Weingart, C. et al.·Published in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·2004·Clinic for Small Animals, Free University of Berlin, Oertzenweg 19b, D-14163 Berlin, Germany, Germany·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Whole blood transfusions in 91 cats: A clinical evaluation
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 91 cats received blood transfusions due to various types of anemia and other blood-related issues. Most of these cats had low red blood cell counts and required one to six transfusions. After the transfusions, about 84% of the cats survived for at least one day, and 64% were still alive after ten days. The transfusions were generally well tolerated, with only a few mild reactions noted. Overall, the study suggests that with careful donor selection and compatibility testing, blood transfusions can be effective and improve survival rates in cats with anemia.
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Abstract
This survey assessed the feline transfusion practices at the University of Berlin from 1998 to 2001 in regard to patient population, indications, efficacy, and transfusion reactions. Blood was obtained from seven healthy in-house donors and 127 mostly indoor client-owned pet cats. Over a 3-year period 91 cats were transfused with blood type compatible blood. The blood was fresh (within 8 h of collection) or stored no longer than 15 days. Transfusions were required because of blood loss anaemia ( n=40), haemolytic anaemia ( n=13), ineffective erythropoiesis ( n=35), hypoproteinaemia ( n=2) or coagulopathy ( n=2). The anaemic cats had a pretransfusion haematocrit of 5–20% ( m [median]=13), and received one to six transfusions ( m=1). The survival rates of the anaemic cats at 1 and 10 days after transfusion were 84 and 64%, respectively. None of the deaths appeared to be related to transfusion reactions. The major crossmatch, undertaken before 117 transfusions, was incompatible for eight cats. All except for one had previously been transfused. Lysis of transfused cells in six cases resulted in a less than expected haematocrit rise and an increase in serum bilirubin. Transient mild transfusion reactions were only noted in two cats during the second or third transfusion. In conclusion, with proper donor selection and appropriate compatibility screening, blood transfusions are well tolerated, appear effective, and may increase chances of survival.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfms.2004.01.005