2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

In this study, a Dal-negative dog was sensitized to Dal via a first blood transfusion. No signs of acute or delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction were observed. Anti-Dal antibodies, which are likely IgG, were detected as early as 4 days post-transfusion, with the highest agglutination titer reached at week 8. The anti-Dal titers decreased over time, but remained detectable one year post-transfusion. Storage of blood products creates an unnatural environment that can accelerate red blood cell (RBC) degradation. One well recognized indicator of RBC degradation is translocation of phosphatidylserine to the outer cell membrane layer. In units of stored human blood, an increase in phosphatidylserine expression is associated with a subsequent reduction in the circulating survival time of transfused RBCs, and an increased incidence of transfusion-related complications. With the addition of a leukoreduction step which extracts leukocytes and platelets from blood products prior to storage, these removed cells are unable to influence the degradation of the RBCs within the unit. In dogs, it is unknown how the leukoreduction and subsequent storage of blood products influences the expression of phosphatidylserine on RBCs.