Transfusion Medicine Flashcards
How do you decide if an animal needs transfusion?
Based on clinical signs - suggestive of decreased O2
=tachycardia, tachypnoea, lethargy, weakness
Which blood product should you use?
Blood loss = Replace with whole blood
Haemolysis = replace with packed red cells
Coagulopathy = replace with fresh frozen plasma, regular plasma or
cryoprecipitate
What are the 2 blood types in dogs and cats?
Dogs = DEA +ve/-ve
Cats = Type A / Type B
What are the rules when administering blood types to dogs?
DEA +ve dogs receving DEA-ve blood will not become sensitised
DEA -ve dogs receiving DEA +ve blood will have delayed reaction but will become sensitised
=always give DEA -VE blood to dogs at theirs first blood transfusion
IF had blood transfusion before = HAVE to test blood type
What are the rules when administering blood types to cats?
Giving B cats A blood = BAD = severe haemolytic reaction
Giving A cats B blood = not As Bad = milder, delayed reaction
How would you test blood type?
Cassette method
What does crossmatching do? (Major/minor)
Detect incompatibilities
Major = Recipient Ab against donor red cells
Minor = Donor Ab against recipient red cells
What are the best administration ways in dogs and cats?
IV - can give intra-osseous (maintain sterility)
Dogs = drip-by-drip transfusion
Cats = syringe driver
What is the rate of administration?
0.5-1ml/kg/Hr for first 15-30 mins
4-6ml/Kg/Hr after - faster if emergency
*Can slow down but don’t disconnect
*Meds in different line
What would you flush IV with?
0.9% NaCl
NOT hartmann - calcium can form clots
What do you check when monitoring patient during blood transfusion?
*HR
*RR
*Rectal Temp
*look for signs of anaphylaxis = swelling, urticaria, nausea
What to do with transfusion reactions?
Severe = obvious = STOP
mild reaction = hard to tell = if in doubt stop (don’t disconnect) 15-30
min break + re-start at slower rate
