Blood Transfusion in Equids-A Practical Approach and Review.
Abstract: Transfusion medicine is a crucial part of equine intensive and critical care. Blood transfusions can save lives in both acute and chronic cases of anemia, hemorrhage, and hemolysis. It is vital to have a comprehensive theoretical and practical understanding of the techniques, implications, risks, and complications. This review covers the physiology and pathophysiology of conditions requiring transfusion, as well as step by step guidance for practitioners of all experience levels. This review is designed to serve as a practical reference for those who are treating horses in either the field or hospital setting. It aims to provide both theoretical background and easy to locate formulae with guidance that is easy to refer to in a critical situation. When risks and benefits are well understood, these techniques can be confidently employed in critical situations to improve outcomes and save lives.
Publication Date: 2022-08-23 PubMed ID: 36077883PubMed Central: PMC9454663DOI: 10.3390/ani12172162Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Review
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article provides an in-depth review of transfusion medicine in horses, discussing its importance, associated risks, techniques, and its role in treating conditions that require a blood transfusion.
Overview and Importance of Transfusion Medicine in Horses
- The research emphasizes the significance of transfusion medicine in equine intensive and critical care. Transfusion medicine involves the transfusion of blood products, and it plays a life-saving role in acute and chronic cases of anemia, hemorrhage, and hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells).
- Given the vital function it serves in critical equine care, it’s imperative for veterinarians and practitioners to have a thorough understanding of the techniques involved in blood transfusion, the implications of the procedure, associated risks, and potential complications.
Conditions Necessitating Blood Transfusion and Physiological Considerations
– ul>
Guide for Practitioners
- The study provides a step-by-step guide for practitioners of all experience levels. This detailed guide serves to equip veterinarians with the essential skills and knowledge to confidently perform blood transfusion procedures in horses.
- The guidance is practical and designed for easy reference during critical situations, both in hospital and field settings. It includes theoretical background as well as easily located formulae for quick reference.
Risks and Benefits
- Finally, the researchers advocate the importance of understanding the risks and benefits of equine blood transfusions. Such awareness enables practitioners to make informed decisions when presented with critical situations, effectively improving the animal’s health outcomes and saving lives.
Cite This Article
APA
Jamieson CA, Baillie SL, Johnson JP.
(2022).
Blood Transfusion in Equids-A Practical Approach and Review.
Animals (Basel), 12(17), 2162.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12172162 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Veterinary Medical Center, Member of Qatar Foundation, Education City, Doha P.O. Box 6788, Qatar.
- Equine Veterinary Medical Center, Member of Qatar Foundation, Education City, Doha P.O. Box 6788, Qatar.
- Equine Veterinary Medical Center, Member of Qatar Foundation, Education City, Doha P.O. Box 6788, Qatar.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
This article includes 81 references
- Farley A, Hendry C, McLafferty E. Blood components.. Nurs Stand 2012 Nov 28-Dec 4;27(13):35-42.
- Robie SM, Janson CH, Smith SC, O'Connor JT Jr. Equine serum lipids: lipid composition and electrophoretic mobility of equine serum lipoprotein fractions.. Am J Vet Res 1975 Dec;36(12):1715-7.
- Ramsey G. Hemostatic Efficacy of Pathogen-Inactivated Blood Components.. Semin Thromb Hemost 2016 Mar;42(2):172-82.
- Cap AP, Beckett A, Benov A, Borgman M, Chen J, Corley JB, Doughty H, Fisher A, Glassberg E, Gonzales R, Kane SF, Malloy WW, Nessen S, Perkins JG, Prat N, Quesada J, Reade M, Sailliol A, Spinella PC, Stockinger Z, Strandenes G, Taylor A, Yazer M, Bryant B, Gurney J. Whole Blood Transfusion.. Mil Med 2018 Sep 1;183(suppl_2):44-51.
- Fielding CL, Magdesian KG. Review of Packed Cell Volume and Total Protein for Use in Equine Practice. AAEP Proc 2011;4:321.
- Wickler SJ, Anderson TP. Hematological changes and athletic performance in horses in response to high altitude (3,800 m).. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2000 Oct;279(4):R1176-81.
- de Solis CN, Foreman J, Byron C, Carpenter R. Ultrasonographic measurement of spleen volume in horses. Comp. Exerc. Physiol. 2012 8:19–25.
- Mudge MC. Acute hemorrhage and blood transfusions in horses.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2014 Aug;30(2):427-36, ix.
- Sharma S, Sharma P, Tyler LN. Transfusion of blood and blood products: indications and complications.. Am Fam Physician 2011 Mar 15;83(6):719-24.
- Hooper N, Armstrong TJ. Hemorrhagic Shock.. 2023 Jan;.
- Dobesova O, Schwarz B, Velde K, Jahn P, Zert Z, Bezdekova B. Guttural pouch mycosis in horses: a retrospective study of 28 cases.. Vet Rec 2012 Dec 1;171(22):561.
- Perkins G, Ainsworth DM, Yeager A. Hemothorax in 2 horses.. J Vet Intern Med 1999 Jul-Aug;13(4):375-8.
- Dechant JE, Nieto JE, Le Jeune SS. Hemoperitoneum in horses: 67 cases (1989-2004).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2006 Jul 15;229(2):253-8.
- Arnold CE, Payne M, Thompson JA, Slovis NM, Bain FT. Periparturient hemorrhage in mares: 73 cases (1998-2005).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2008 May 1;232(9):1345-51.
- Oikawa MA, Nambo Y, Miyamoto M, Miura H, Kikuchi M, Ohnami Y. Postpartum Massive Hematoma within the Broad Ligament of the Uterus in a Broodmare Possibly Caused by Rupture of the Uterine Artery.. J Equine Sci 2009;20(3):41-6.
- Ueno T, Nambo Y, Tajima Y, Umemura T. Pathology of lethal peripartum broad ligament haematoma in 31 Thoroughbred mares.. Equine Vet J 2010 Sep;42(6):529-33.
- Laing JA, Hutchins DR. Progressive ethmoidal haematoma in horses.. Aust Vet J 1992 Mar;69(3):57-8.
- Matsuda Y, Nakanishi Y, Mizuno Y. Occlusion of the internal carotid artery by means of microcoils for preventing epistaxis caused by guttural pouch mycosis in horses.. J Vet Med Sci 1999 Mar;61(3):221-5.
- Lording PM. Erythrocytes.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2008 Aug;24(2):225-37, v.
- Weisel JW, Litvinov RI. Red blood cells: the forgotten player in hemostasis and thrombosis.. J Thromb Haemost 2019 Feb;17(2):271-282.
- Ahern BJ, Parente EJ. Surgical complications of the equine upper respiratory tract.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2008 Dec;24(3):465-84, vii.
- Mudge MC. Hemostasis, Surgical Bleeding, and Transfusion. 2018;pp. 41–53.
- Corona D, Brunisholz H, Junge H, Bettschart-Wolfensberger R. Management of acute bleeding in a shetland pony during surgery for foreign body removal. Vet. Rec. Case Rep. 2019;7:e000737.
- Leise B.S. Complications of Surgery of the Equine Foot. [(accessed on 24 January 2022)];Complicat. Equine Surg. 2021 47:667–682. Available online: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119190332.ch47.
- Pezzanite L., Dvm J.T.E. Complications Following Surgery of the Equine Nasal Passages and Paranasal Sinuses. [(accessed on 24 January 2022)];Complicat. Equine Surg. 2021 33:413–426. Available online: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781119190332.ch33.
- Pezzanite LM, Hackett ES, McCready E, Easley JT. Outcomes following single, caudally based bilateral versus unilateral frontonasal sinusotomy for treatment of equine paranasal sinus disease.. Vet Med Sci 2021 Nov;7(6):2209-2218.
- Mudge MC. Complications of Blood Transfusion. 2021;pp. 64–69.
- Verwilghen D. Surgical Techniques. 2018;pp. 198–213.
- Dahlgren AR, Tablin F, Finno CJ. Genetics of equine bleeding disorders.. Equine Vet J 2021 Jan;53(1):30-37.
- Epstein KL. Coagulopathies in horses.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2014 Aug;30(2):437-52, ix.
- Pusterla N, Watson JL, Affolter VK, Magdesian KG, Wilson WD, Carlson GP. Purpura haemorrhagica in 53 horses.. Vet Rec 2003 Jul 26;153(4):118-21.
- Barcellini W, Fattizzo B. Clinical Applications of Hemolytic Markers in the Differential Diagnosis and Management of Hemolytic Anemia.. Dis Markers 2015;2015:635670.
- Ramaiah SK, Harvey JW, Giguère S, Franklin RP, Crawford PC. Intravascular hemolysis associated with liver disease in a horse with marked neutrophil hypersegmentation.. J Vet Intern Med 2003 May-Jun;17(3):360-3.
- Mair TS, Taylor FG, Hillyer MH. Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia in eight horses.. Vet Rec 1990 Jan 20;126(3):51-3.
- Underwood C, Southwood LL. Haemolytic anaemia as a complication following colic surgery in a 10-year-old Arabian stallion. Equine Vet. Educ. 2008 20:422–426.
- Dickinson CE, Traub-Dargatz JL, Dargatz DA, Bennett DG, Knight AP. Rattlesnake venom poisoning in horses: 32 cases (1973-1993).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1996 Jun 1;208(11):1866-71.
- Fielding CL, Pusterla N, Magdesian KG, Higgins JC, Meier CA. Rattlesnake envenomation in horses: 58 cases (1992-2009).. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2011 Mar 1;238(5):631-5.
- Lester SJ, Mollat WH, Bryant JE. Overview of Clinical Pathology and the Horse.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2015 Aug;31(2):247-68.
- Hardang IM, Lilleholt K, Hagve TA. [Anemia of chronic disease].. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2017 Sep 19;137(17).
- Guan F, Uboh CE, Soma LR, Maylin G, Jiang Z, Chen J. Confirmatory analysis of continuous erythropoietin receptor activator and erythropoietin analogues in equine plasma by LC-MS for doping control.. Anal Chem 2010 Nov 1;82(21):9074-81.
- Piercy RJ, Swardson CJ, Hinchcliff KW. Erythroid hypoplasia and anemia following administration of recombinant human erythropoietin to two horses.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1998 Jan 15;212(2):244-7.
- Timms M, Steel R. Defining the specificity of recombinant human erythropoietin confirmation in equine samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.. Drug Test Anal 2022 Apr;14(4):676-689.
- Tennent-Brown B. Plasma therapy in foals and adult horses.. Compend Contin Educ Vet 2011 Oct;33(10):E1-4.
- Slovis NM, Murray G. How to Approach Whole Blood Transfusions in Horses. AAEP Proc 2001;47:266–269.
- McLellan SA, Walsh TS. Oxygen delivery and haemoglobin. Contin. Educ. Anaesth. Crit. Care Pain. 2004 4:123–126.
- Durham AE. Blood and plasma transfusion in the horse. Equine Vet. Educ. 1996 8:8–12.
- Arai S, Stotts N, Puntillo K. Thirst in critically ill patients: from physiology to sensation.. Am J Crit Care 2013 Jul;22(4):328-35.
- Gerhardt RT, Tactical Combat Casualty Care Rsch Group. Correlation of Thirst and Vasopressin to Central Hypovolemia in a Lower-Body Negative Pressure Model of Hemorrhagic Shock. Circulation 2012 126((Suppl. S21)):A170.
- Gonzales GL. How to Establish an Equine Blood Donor Protocol. Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the American Association of Equine Practicioners (AAEP); San Diego, CA, USA. 6–10 December 2001; p. 4.
- Radcliffe RM, Bookbinder LC, Liu SY, Tomlinson JE, Cook VL, Hurcombe SDA, Divers TJ. Collection and administration of blood products in horses: Transfusion indications, materials, methods, complications, donor selection, and blood testing.. J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio) 2022 Jan;32(S1):108-122.
- Divers TJ, Tennant BC, Kumar A, McDonough S, Cullen J, Bhuva N, Jain K, Chauhan LS, Scheel TKH, Lipkin WI, Laverack M, Trivedi S, Srinivasa S, Beard L, Rice CM, Burbelo PD, Renshaw RW, Dubovi E, Kapoor A. New Parvovirus Associated with Serum Hepatitis in Horses after Inoculation of Common Biological Product.. Emerg Infect Dis 2018 Feb;24(2):303-310.
- Tomlinson JE, Tennant BC, Struzyna A, Mrad D, Browne N, Whelchel D, Johnson PJ, Jamieson C, Löhr CV, Bildfell R, McKenzie EC, Laverack M, Renshaw RW, Dubovi E, Kapoor A, Meirs RS, Belgrave R, Engiles J, Van de Walle GR, Divers TJ. Viral testing of 10 cases of Theiler's disease and 37 in-contact horses in the absence of equine biologic product administration: A prospective study (2014-2018).. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jan;33(1):258-265.
- Becht JL, Semrad SD. Hematology, blood typing, and immunology of the neonatal foal.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 1985 Apr;1(1):91-116.
- Bowling A. The use and efficacy of horse blood typing tests. J. Equine Vet. Sci. 1985 5:195–199.
- Proverbio D, Perego R, Baggiani L, Ferrucci F, Zucca E, Nobile F, Spada E. Prevalence of Ca Blood Type and Alloantibodies in a Population of Horses from Italy.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Jul 13;10(7).
- Tomlinson JE, Taberner E, Boston RC, Owens SD, Nolen-Walston RD. Survival Time of Cross-Match Incompatible Red Blood Cells in Adult Horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Nov-Dec;29(6):1683-8.
- Fenn MS, Bortsie-Aryee AD, Perkins GA, Mann S, Tomlinson JE, Wood EM, Mix SE, Stokol T. Agreement of stall-side and laboratory major crossmatch tests with the reference standard method in horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Mar;34(2):941-948.
- YOUNG NA. Direct compatibility testing.. J Clin Pathol 1958 Jul;11(4):311-5.
- Wardrop KJ. The Coombs' test in veterinary medicine: past, present, future.. Vet Clin Pathol 2005 Dec;34(4):325-34.
- Kähn W, Vaala W, Palmer J. [Neonatal isoerythrolysis in newborn foals].. Tierarztl Prax 1991 Oct;19(5):521-9.
- Short JL, Diehl S, Seshadri R, Serrano S. Accuracy of formulas used to predict post-transfusion packed cell volume rise in anemic dogs.. J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio) 2012 Aug;22(4):428-34.
- Niinistö K, Raekallio M, Sankari S. Storage of equine red blood cells as a concentrate.. Vet J 2008 May;176(2):227-31.
- Schmidt A, Refaai M, Kirkley S, Blumberg N. Proven and potential clinical benefits of washing red blood cells before transfusion: Current perspectives. Int. J. Clin. Transfus. Med. 2016 4:79–88.
- Polkes AC, Giguère S, Lester GD, Bain FT. Factors associated with outcome in foals with neonatal isoerythrolysis (72 cases, 1988-2003).. J Vet Intern Med 2008 Sep-Oct;22(5):1216-22.
- Suddock JT, Crookston KP. Transfusion Reactions.. 2023 Jan;.
- Swiderski CE. Hypersensitivity disorders in horses.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2000 Apr;16(1):131-51, vii.
- Radcliffe RM. Anaphylaxis. 2016;pp. 31–38.
- Orsini J.A., Divers T.J., editors. Emergency Drug Charts in Equine Emergencies. 4th ed. Saunders; St. Louis, MO, USA: 2014. [(accessed on 8 March 2022)]. p. IBC6. Available online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9781455708925000672.
- Toy P, Lowell C. TRALI--definition, mechanisms, incidence and clinical relevance.. Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol 2007 Jun;21(2):183-93.
- Cho MS, Modi P, Sharma S. Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury.. 2023 Jan;.
- King KE, Shirey RS, Thoman SK, Bensen-Kennedy D, Tanz WS, Ness PM. Universal leukoreduction decreases the incidence of febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions to RBCs.. Transfusion 2004 Jan;44(1):25-9.
- Radtke AV, Goodale MB, Fortier LA. Platelet and Leukocyte Concentration in Equine Autologous Conditioned Plasma Are Inversely Distributed by Layer and Are Not Affected by Centrifugation Rate.. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:173.
- Rasel M, Mahboobi SK. Transfusion Iron Overload.. 2023 Jan;.
- McKinnon A.O., Squires E.L., Vaala W.E., Varner D.D. Equine Reproduction. John Wiley & Sons; Hoboken, NJ, USA: 2011. p. 7740.
- Becht JL, Page EH, Morter RL, Boon GD, Thacker HL. Evaluation of a series of testing procedures to predict neonatal isoerythrolysis in the foal.. Cornell Vet 1983 Oct;73(4):390-402.
- Felippe JB. Equine Neonatal Isoerythrolysis. 2017;pp. 251–255.
- McClure JJ, Koch C, Traub-Dargatz J. Characterization of a red blood cell antigen in donkeys and mules associated with neonatal isoerythrolysis.. Anim Genet 1994 Apr;25(2):119-20.
- Kwon DY, Choi SK, Cho YJ, Cho GJ. Neonatal isoerythrolysis in Thoroughbred foals. Korean J. Veter Res. 2011 51:55–58.
- Blackmer JM. Strategies for prevention of neonatal isoerythrolysis in horses and mules. Equine Vet. Educ. 2010 15:6–10.
- Perkins GA, Miller WH, Divers TJ, Clark CK, Belgrave RL, Sellon DC. Ulcerative dermatitis, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia in neonatal foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2005 Mar-Apr;19(2):211-6.
- Mendoza FJ, Perez-Ecija RA, Monreal L, Estepa JC. Coagulation profiles of healthy Andalusian donkeys are different than those of healthy horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2011 Jul-Aug;25(4):967-70.
Citations
This article has been cited 0 times.Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists