Transfusion medicine in small animal practice

Red blood cell transfusions in veterinary medicine have become increasingly more common and are an integral part of lifesaving and advanced treatment of the critically ill. Common situations involving transfusions are life-threatening anemia from acute hemorrhage or surgical blood loss, hemolysis from drugs or toxins, immune-mediated diseases, severe nonregenerative conditions, and neonatal isoerythrolysis. Although transfusions can be lifesaving, they are also associated with adverse events that can be life threatening. This article reviews the principles for pretransfusion blood typing and compatibility testing and the types of transfusion reactions that exist despite test performance.