Alvedia

The identification of the various causes of feline anemia is a diagnostic challenge and has been reviewed in the previous chapter on Feline Anemia-a Diagnostic Challenge. Some of the therapeutic options for various specific diseases were also mentioned there and will be discussed here. However, this presentation will center on the supportive care with blood products.

Transfusion therapy refers to the safe and effective replacement of blood or one of its components offering support for many critically ill, anemic and bleeding patients. Thereby, blood transfusions have become pivotal in any emergency and critical care setting which led to the large increase of blood product usage over the past two decades. The Transfusion Medicine Academic Awards, given by the NIH to 5 veterinary schools around 1990, have spurred research and greater emphasis on comparative transfusion medicine. Many novel blood banking techniques have recently been developed for use in companion animals.

The platelet has recently undergone an expansion of interest, as understanding of their role in hemostasis, inflammation and healing is being further elucidated. Platelets are clearly important in primary hemostasis and a lack of platelets or platelet dysfunction is commonly clinically significant. The focus of this talk is two-fold- The first is to discuss the preparation and uses of platelet-rich plasma for management of thrombocytopenia or thrombocytopathia, while the second is to discuss the emerging role of platelet-rich plasma, platelet-rich gels, and platelet concentrates in supporting wound healing.

In the emergency room and intensive care unit hemorrhage is a very common clinical problem in dogs. Depending on the (internal or external) site, acuteness, and degree of bleeding, dogs may have overt signs of hemorrhage, show specific organ failure (e.g. thoracic hemorrhage, hemoabdomen), and/or signs related to the systemic effects of hypovolemia, anemia and/or hypoproteinemia. Differentiating between normal and abnormal hemostasis by clinical and laboratory assessment is crucial; dogs with a bleeding tendency often exhibit recurrent and/or multiple sites of hemorrhage.