2017 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Subsequent exploration of reasons for discrepant results suggests several possibilities. DMSO is the standard solvent used for biotin, since biotin is insoluble in aqueous solutions. Biotin precipitates in DMSO solutions of 50% or less, and high DMSO concentrations are therefore needed for biotin labeling studies. Inadvertent dilution of DMSO in residual plasma during RBC labeling therefore has the potential to render biotinylation ineffective. Additionally, we found that different concentrations of DMSO cause variable lysis of RBCs: 60% DMSO (diluted in PBS) caused marked hemolysis, 50 and 100% caused moderate hemolysis, 30, 40 and 90% caused mild hemolysis, and 10, 20, 70 and 80% caused no hemolysis. Our findings suggest that transfusion studies using biotinylated RBCs may be susceptible to technique artifacts, with subtle variations in DMSO concentrations leading to either failure of biotinylation or inadvertent RBC damage. Biochemical and immunologic changes consistent with erythrocyte storage lesion have been described in feline packed red blood cell (pRBC) units. Oxidative damage occurs in stored human erythrocytes as evidenced by decreased glutathione concentrations, but this has yet to be investigated in cats. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of storage on glutathione, osmotic fragility, and methemoglobin reductase activity in feline pRBCs. Whole blood (60 mL) was collected from five healthy cats into blood bags containing CPDA-1. Each bag was split in half and pRBC units were prepared. For each cat, additive solution 3 (AS-3) was added to one of the units and pRBCs were stored at 4°C. Aliquots of each unit were sampled on days 1, 14, 28, 35, and 42 of storage and assayed for glutathione, osmotic fragility, and methemoglobin reductase activity. Friedman's test was used to assess changes over time. Glutathione decreased significantly with time in both AS-3treated and untreated pRBCs. Osmotic fragility increased significantly with time in untreated pRBCs, but did not change from baseline in pRBCs treated with AS-3. Methemoglobin reductase activity was unchanged in both treated and untreated samples. Storage of feline pRBCs over 42 days leads to glutathione depletion and increased osmotic fragility. These findings are further evidence for storage lesion in feline pRBCs. However, the addition of AS-3 mitigates the some of these changes and should be considered in the development of future blood product protocols. Fresh frozen plasma is used to treat a variety of conditions in critical illness. Plasma transfusion has the potential for causing adverse reactions and is a limited resource. There are currently no evidence-based plasma transfusion recommendations in dogs and cats. These include documented coagulopathy with bleeding or a planned invasive procedure (DC), warfarin reversal (WR), massive transfusion (MT), and factor deficiency (FD). The aim of this study was to determine if plasma transfusions in animals met guidelines used in human medicine. The medical record system was retrospectively searched for dogs and cats that had received plasma transfusion. The indication (s) for the transfusion recorded. The percentage in each category was recorded, as well as those cases with no clear indication. Survival was recorded.