Signalment and blood types in cats being evaluated as blood donors at two italian university blood banks.

Arianna Miglio,Giada Bagnagatti De Giorgi,Vittorio Mangili,Elisabetta Ferro,Eva Spada,Maria Teresa Antognoni,Daniela Proverbio

doi:10.1155/2014/704836

Arianna Miglio, Giada Bagnagatti De Giorgi + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/704836

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Abstract

Data from potential feline blood donors presented at two university blood banks in Italy were recorded. Blood typing was performed using an immunochromatographic method. Over the three years of the study 357 cats representing 15 breeds, 45.3% female and 54.7% male, with a mean age of 3.8 years were evaluated. Of these 90.5% were blood type A, 5.6% type B, and 3.9% type AB. The majority of the cats (54.6%) were European DSH (92.3% were type A, 5.1% type B, and 2.6% type AB), and 21% were Maine Coon (MCO) cats (100% blood type A). The estimated frequencies of transfusion reactions following an unmatched transfusion between DSH (donors and recipients), MCO (donor and recipients), DSH donors and MCO recipients, and MCO donors and DSH recipients were 4.8%, 0%, 0%, and 5.1% for major reactions and 7.2%, 0%, 7.7%, and 0% for minor transfusions reactions, respectively. In a population of blood donors that includes DSH and MCO the risk of transfusion reaction is between 5% and 8% if typing is not performed on donor and recipient blood. Blood typing should therefore be performed before transfusion to remove the risk of transfusion reactions due to blood type incompatibilities.

Highlights

The AB blood system is the major feline blood system and consists of the 3 blood types A, B, and AB [1]
The estimated frequencies of transfusion reactions following an unmatched transfusion between DSH, Maine Coon (MCO), DSH donors and MCO recipients, and MCO donors and DSH recipients were 4.8%, 0%, 0%, and 5.1% for major reactions and 7.2%, 0%, 7.7%, and 0% for minor transfusions reactions, respectively
This study aimed to report the signalment and distribution of blood types A, B and AB in cats being evaluated as potential blood donors and to assess the risk of major and minor transfusion reactions due to AB blood type system incompatibility; the frequencies of the three feline blood types in cats evaluated in this study are comparable to those previously reported worldwide, with a predominance of blood type A [9, 10]

Summary

Introduction

The AB blood system is the major feline blood system and consists of the 3 blood types A, B, and AB [1]. All cats older than three months have naturally occurring alloantibodies against the other blood types, with the exception of type AB cats [2]. For this reason (and because there is no universal feline donor), all cats must be blood-typed and receive transfusions of the same blood type to prevent major and minor transfusion reactions. Transfusion of compatible blood prevents hemolytic transfusion reactions, including fatal major reactions when cats with type B blood receive type A or AB blood transfusions. As transfusion reactions are dependent on the AB system blood type compatibility but can occur due to other blood types (e.g., Mik) [4] and to WBCs, platelets, or plasma protein [5], a cross-matching should always be performed before a transfusion

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