The dissertation is devoted to the problem of providing erythrocyte transfusion to critically ill dogs, as well as to the assessment of safety and efficiency of packed red blood cell of storage periods in dogs with anemia.
The study is prospective, during which the following stages were carried out: assessment the incidence of anemia in dogs in critical condition, researches on the prevalence of DEA1 antigen in the dog population, laboratory studies on changes that develop in the erythrocyte mass during its storage up to 35 days, comparison of safety and efficacy of transfusion of packed red blood (pRBCs) cells in dogs with anemia, compared to whole blood.
According to a study of 52 dogs in critical condition, 88.4 % of them developed anemia on the 3rd day of hospitalization. At the same time, 16.6 % of patients had signs of anemia already at the time of hospitalization.
According to the data of the second stage of the study concerning the prevalence of DEA 1 antigen among the dog population of Ukraine, 171 animals were tested. The study found that 50.8 % of dogs were DEA1-positive and 49.2 % DEA1-negative. It was found that 100 % of the studied dogs of the Cocker Spaniel breed are DEA1-positive, and 100 % of the Husky – DEA1-negative. This is important for planning a donor program among blood banks in Ukraine.
To determine the morphological, biomechanical and biochemical changes, it was performed an examination of 15 containers with packed red blood cells of dogs on the 1st, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th and 35th days of storage. Indicators such as hematocrit, potassium and lactate levels in packed red blood cells were determined, and microscopic evaluation of erythrocyte shape changes was performed.
According to research, the least significant changes in hematocrit occur during the first three weeks of storing packed red blood cells (pRBC). After 21 days of storage, significant morphological changes are observed, characterized by the appearance of echinocytes and spherocytes, along with changes in the hematocrit level, namely its increase from 65±1.21 % on the first day of obtaining the pRBC to 75.8±1.00 % on the 35th day of storage. Hematocrit during prolonged storage of whole blood demonstrates a different dynamic. Similar to the case of pRBC, there is a trend of increasing hematocrit during the first three weeks, from 43.1±0.82 % after obtaining the blood product to 51.0±0.56 % on the 21st day. However, the hematocrit level subsequently begins to decrease, reaching 42.1±0.83 % on the 35th day of storage, which is likely indicative of hemolysis. Morphological changes in red blood cells after 35 days of pRBC storage and after 28 days of whole blood storage in dogs do not allow for its recommendation for transfusion to recipients. In the future, it is necessary to conduct clinical in vivo studies to determine the safety and efficacy of transfusing canine pRBC with varying storage durations.
The concentration of potassium during the 35-day storage period of canine packed red blood cells (pRBC) significantly increased by 2.1 times – from 3.89±0.16 mmol/L to 8.12±0.26 mmol/L, and in whole blood, it increased 2.6 times – from 3.96±0.06 mmol/L to 10.48±0.19 mmol/L. Lactate levels in pRBC on the 35th day of storage significantly increased 10.7 times – from 1.8±0.07 mmol/L to 19.3±0.25 mmol/L, and in whole blood, 13.4 times – from 1.6±0.07 mmol/L to 21.5±0.54 mmol/L, with a noted sharp decline in the growth dynamics of lactate levels after the 21st day of blood product storage. It was established that the potassium and lactate concentrations in canine pRBC and whole blood on the 35th day of storage are safe for transfusion to animals. Moreover, lactate levels in canine pRBC and whole blood can be used as a criterion for determining the suitability of blood products for transfusion.
To determine the dynamics of changes in MCV values and hemolysis levels, 34 units of pRBC and 22 units of whole blood from different donor dogs were analyzed on the 1st, 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days of storage. The average MCV of pRBC at the beginning of storage was 48.09±2.48 fl. After one week of storage, this value slightly decreased to 46.5±2.72 fl. Subsequently, it increased sharply with each following week: on the 14th day, it reached 50.25±2.49 fl, on the 21st day – 57±2 fl, and on the 28th day – 60.67±0.47 fl. The average MCV of canine whole blood at the beginning of storage was 46.45±2.84 fl. Similar to pRBC, the MCV in whole blood decreased to 45.64±1.91 fl by the 7th day and then sharply increased in the following weeks: on the 14th day – to 52.33±2.21 fl, on the 21st day – to 62.2±2.79 fl, and on the 28th day – to 65±1 fl.
Our study also revealed a dynamic increase in the level of erythrocyte hemolysis during prolonged storage of canine packed red blood cells (pRBC) and whole blood. In the whole blood group, the hemolysis level reached 1.25±0.11 % by the 14th day and increased to 1.7±0.13 % by the 28th day.
