The Importance of Blood Transfusions for Pets
Featured in Houston Pet Talk, September 2023 issue
By Dr. Noaker
As pet owners, we all worry about the nightmare scenario of our pet accidentally running out the door and being struck by a vehicle. Unfortunately, this terrible event does happen even when we are diligent about safety.
The trauma of being hit by a car can be very life-threatening, and one of the results can be a need for a blood transfusion due to blood loss, including internal bleeding. Red blood cells carry critical oxygen to the tissues. Have you ever thought about where an ER obtains blood?
Understanding Canine Blood Types
Dogs have many blood types, but they are not the same as humans. There are many subtypes, but they are classified as either DEA 1.1 negative (dog erythrocyte antigen) or DEA 1.1 positive. Negative is considered the "universal donor," and most dogs can receive their first blood transfusion without having to check for compatibility, commonly known as a "cross-match."
It is very important for you to tell any veterinarian if your pet has ever received a prior blood transfusion because the risk of a transfusion reaction is greatly increased.
Blood Donation Options
Once the blood type is known, we have a few options. Depending upon patient needs, we may choose to obtain "whole blood." This means we draw blood from a donor dog and then give it to the recipient dog. This blood contains red and white blood cells, platelets, and plasma proteins.
Donor dogs are pre-screened for multiple infectious diseases, and they can only donate once every 6-8 weeks. Most donor dogs are large breeds that are young and healthy.
If the patient only needs red blood cells, we can use "packed red blood cells." This is blood that has been processed and separated to just provide concentrated red blood cells. Most ER hospitals have this in stock.
The third option is to auto-transfuse the patient. This situation is encountered when a healthy dog suffers a major trauma, bleeds large amounts into a body cavity, and needs an immediate transfusion. The blood is evacuated, passed through a filter, and then returned to the patient through an IV catheter. The advantage of this is that the patient will not suffer an immediate transfusion reaction or an immune-mediated destruction of foreign blood.
Lifespan of Red Blood Cells
Red blood cells typically have a lifespan of approximately 120 days. The lifespan of transfused blood is variable. For example, if a dog has an autoimmune disease called hemolytic anemia, its immune system is incorrectly attacking and destroying its own red blood cells. When that patient receives a transfusion from another dog, the patient's primed hypersensitive immune system readily attacks and destroys these "foreign" cells. In those cases, the newly transfused cells might be destroyed in a matter of hours!
The Role of Blood Banks and Donors
We purchase many blood products from companies across America. These are commercial blood banks that follow the strictest procedures and protocols. We also use staff-owned dogs or client-owned dogs that have been examined by one of our veterinarians and pre-screened to be free of diseases. We also keep a log of every patient that has received any kind of transfusion in case of later complications.
Conclusion: A Life-Saving Procedure
Blood transfusions are often life-saving procedures. If proper protocols are followed and the patient is closely monitored during the process, it is generally a safe treatment. Our thanks and gratitude go to all the dogs and cats who give the gift of life to others. Many lives have been saved because of them.
