Page 7 - Clinical Connections - Spring 2024

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Page 7 - Clinical Connections - Spring 2024
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Transfusion medicine

        RVC blood donor studies and welfare  we give to cats after donation is necessary   blood can be an effective method of treating
        In 2017 we published the world’s first   or whether they can go home shortly   anaemic cats, but only in the short term,
        description of cats donating without   afterwards (as dogs do).         as the cats will break down the canine red
        sedation. This is now standard practice at   In  2020  a  veterinary  student  conducted   blood cells quite quickly and you can’t give a
        the RVC and vets globally are recognising   a study looking at why dogs and cats leave   second transfusion of canine blood.
        that cats don’t need a general anaesthetic   the  Blood  Donor  Programme.  She  found   We have performed high quality studies
        or heavy sedation to give blood.    that one in five of the cats that owners try   looking  at  whether  removing  white  blood
          We’re always trying to ensure that we are   to  enrol  as  donors  are  not successful  for   cells from blood transfusions is helpful and
        performing blood donation to the highest   either  medical  or temperament  reasons   whether  performing  a  crossmatch  prior  to
        possible standard. We’ve studied for signs   underlining how special and valuable our   transfusion in cats is worthwhile. We’ve
        of changes to the cardiovascular system   feline donors are.            helped  really  improve  knowledge  in  these
        in dogs after donating blood (and didn’t   In 2020 and 2022 we published reports   areas and the information we’ve learnt has
        find  any)  and  we’ve  recently  finished  a   on the use of canine blood in anaemic   allowed us to develop how we work.
        study  looking  at  whether  the  fluid  therapy   cats (xenotransfusion). We found that dog
                                                                                       For small animal referrals, please call:
                                                                                      01707 666399
                The programme expanded to                                              Email:
                 enrol smaller dogs as serum                                          qmhreception@rvc.ac.uk
                donors, producing serum eye
                drops for ophthalmic patients.        The first unit of stored feline
                                                       plasma was transfused.
                 The first stored unit of feline      The owner of the recipient
                  whole blood was collected           (Meadow) went on to sign
                (from Ricochet), using a novel         her other cats as donors.
                feline blood collection system         Combined, her six blood
                designed by Charlotte Russo.           donor cats have donated
                                                           over 40 times.
 The first recorded unsedated   The unit of blood was stored
 feline donation was performed   for two days and then   First xenotransfusion (dog to
 by Robyn with a cat called   transfused to Boo, a     cat) performed on a Type B         By the middle of February
 Ricochet. Ricochet went on to     Norwegian Forest cat involved   cat where feline blood was   this year the programme had
 do 14 unsedated donations   in a road traffic accident.   unavailable. The donor was   provided 132 transfusions and
                  He made a full recovery.             a Labrador called Dylan.         taken more than 60 donations.






    2012                                 2015                                2023






                      2014                                 2016                                2024








 The Animal Care Trust started      The first unit of feline blood     There were 479 canine blood
 fundraising for the Blood Donor    processed into packed red            product transfusions and
 Programme. The first purchase      blood cells and plasma was           163 feline blood product
 was a large blood bank freezer      produced, extending the           transfusions provided. There
 for plasma products, which is      shelf-life and availability of      were 69 xenotransfusions
      still in use.                 feline products. The donor,         performed. 120 ophthalmic
                                   Delilah, was owned by Susie         patients received donor serum
                                   Hunt, a veterinary nurse who         eye drops. There were 468
                                    later joined the TMS team          blood donations undertaken.
                                    and still owns feline donors.






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