Blood Group Systems and Blood Transfusion of Animals

Abstract

This review provides the reader with an update overview of blood group for animals and blood transfusion basis to be employed for them. The review consist of blood groups in animals blood typing cross matching, donors, blood collection, storage blood component, blood transfusion, blood component therapy, blood substitutes and adverse reaction. The safe use of blood component therapy requires knowledge of blood groups, antibody prevalence and knowledge of the means to minimize the risk of adverse reaction by including the use of proper donors and screening assays that facilitate detection of serological incompatibility. The decision to transfuse and the type of product to administer depend on several factors such as the type of anemia and the size of animal. In conclusion transfusion medicine has become more feasible in small animal practice with improved access to blood products through on-site donors, the purchase blood bank products, external donor program or the availability of blood component substitutes.