Background-Naturally occurring alloantibodies produced against A and B red cell antigens in cats can cause acute hemolytic transfusion reactions. Blood incompatibilities, unrelated to the AB blood group system, have also been suspected after blood transfusions through routine crossmatch testing or as a result of hemolytic transfusion reactions.

Based upon the identification of an acquired alloantibody in a Dalmatian, a presumably new common blood type named Dal was identified. Dalmatians lacking the Dal antigen are likely at risk of delayed and acute hemolytic transfusion reactions.

To our knowledge, this report documents the first transmission of Leishmania spp by blood transfusion. The use of foxhounds as blood donors may not be advisable in North America.

Background: Based upon alloantibodies produced after sensitizing dogs with transfused blood, more than a dozen blood group systems have been recognized thus far, and some have been classified as dog erythrocyte antigens (DEA).Hypothesis: A new canine red cell antigen was suspected, based on the development of specific alloantibodies in a Dalmatian previously sensitized by blood transfusions.Animals: Twenty-six Dalmatians (including 1 Dalmatian in need of blood compatibility studies); 55 canine blood donors. Methods: Serologic tests, including blood typing, crossmatching, and direct Coombs' test were performed by standard tube techniques and a novel gel column technology adapted from human blood banking.Results: By day 40 after transfusion of an anemic Dalmatian, all major crossmatch tests to 55 non-Dalmatian dogs were incompatible. The 2 initial donors, who were compatible before transfusion, were also now incompatible, suggesting the development of an alloantibody to a common red cell antigen. No siblings were available, but 4 of 25 unrelated Dalmatians were crossmatch compatible, suggesting that they were missing the same red cell antigen. The patient was blood typed DEA 1.1, 3, 4, and 5 positive, but DEA 7 negative. Further blood typing and crossmatching results did not support an association to any of these known blood types. The alloantibodies produced were determined to be of the immunoglobulin G class.Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Based upon the identification of an acquired alloantibody in a Dalmatian, a presumably new common blood type named Dal was identified. Dalmatians lacking the Dal antigen are likely at risk of delayed and acute hemolytic transfusion reactions.

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in 307 dogs were reviewed. A total of 658 units of RBCs, including 474 (72%) units of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) and 184 (28%) units of whole blood (WB), were administered. Reasons for transfusion included hemorrhage (n = 222), hemolysis (n = 43), and ineffective erythropoiesis (n = 42). The mean pretransfusion packed cell volume (PCV) of dogs with hemolysis (13%) was significantly lower (p less than 0.0001) than the mean pretransfusion PCVs of dogs with hemorrhage (21%) or ineffective erythropoiesis (18%). The mean total volume of PRBCs transfused was significantly greater (p less than 0.03) in dogs with hemolysis. Overall, 187 (61%) of 307 dogs were discharged from the hospital. Cause of anemia, pretransfusion PCV, and total volume of blood administered did not appear to influence survival. However, the mean adjusted posttransfusion PCV of dogs with hemorrhage was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in dogs that survived. Possible adverse events were observed during or shortly after RBC transfusion in 10 (3.3%) dogs; all reactions were mild and self-limiting, and none were hemolytic.