Plasma therapy in foals and adult horses

Although a range of plasma-based products (e.g., cryoprecipitate, albumin, platelet-rich plasma, individual coagulation factors) are available to human physicians, equine veterinarians are largely restricted to using whole blood, frozen plasma, and fresh frozen plasma for transfusions. The indications for frozen or fresh frozen plasma in human medicine are relatively limited, and there is little evidence supporting the efficacy of these products in many cases. Furthermore, many human physicians have concerns regarding disease transmission and anaphylactic reactions after administration of any plasma product. In equine medicine, plasma products have been used (1) to treat failure of passive transfer (FPT); sepsis; and coagulopathies; (2) as "antiendotoxin" agents; and (3) to provide colloidal support. The use of plasma should be carefully considered before administration because of potential (although rare) adverse reactions as well as expense. In addition, the benefits are uncertain in some equine patients.