Signalment and Blood Types in Cats Being Evaluated as Blood Donors at Two Italian University Blood Banks

Spada, Eva, Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety; Miglio, Arianna, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science; Proverbio, Daniela, Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety; Antognoni, Maria Teresa, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science; Bagnagatti De Giorgi, Giada, Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety; Ferro, Elisabetta, Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety; Mangili, Vittorio, Department of Veterinary Clinical Science

Signalment and Blood Types in Cats Being Evaluated as Blood Donors at Two Italian University Blood Banks

2014

Spada, Eva(Veterinary Transfusion Unit (REV), Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety (VESPA)) | Miglio, Arianna(Veterinary Transfusion Unit (EMOVET-UNIPG), Department of Veterinary Clinical Science) | Proverbio, Daniela(Veterinary Transfusion Unit (REV), Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety (VESPA)) | Antognoni, Maria Teresa(Veterinary Transfusion Unit (EMOVET-UNIPG), Department of Veterinary Clinical Science) | Bagnagatti De Giorgi, Giada(Veterinary Transfusion Unit (REV), Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety (VESPA)) | Ferro, Elisabetta(Veterinary Transfusion Unit (REV), Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety (VESPA)) | Mangili, Vittorio(Veterinary Transfusion Unit (EMOVET-UNIPG), Department of Veterinary Clinical Science)

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.

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