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Fact Sheet:
Animal
Blood Types Groups
in Dogs
Currently, eight to twelve
or more canine blood groups are recognized, depending on
which studies one consults. In all cases, these various
blood groups are organized and categorized under the DEA
system. The acronym DEA stands for Dog Erythrocyte Antigen.
Blood groupings, or blood types, among dogs are specified
by the letters DEA, followed by some number(s) denoting
which DEA system antigens are present on the red blood
cells of the dog in question.
Table 1. Eight
of the most common canine blood types and their approximate
incidence
in the United States.
Canine Blood Type Old Nomenclature Approx. Incidence
DEA 1.1 A1 40%
DEA 1.2 A2 20
DEA 3 B 5
DEA 4 C 98
DEA 5 D 25
DEA 6 F 98
DEA 7 Tr 45
DEA 8 He 40
For all canine blood group
systems other than DEA 1, the red blood cells from a dog
can be either positive or negative for that blood type.
For example, a dog could be DEA 3 positive or DEA 3 negative.
The DEA 1 system is different. It appears to have three
separate subgroups: DEA 1.1 (also known as A1) , DEA 1.2
(also known as A2) and DEA 1.3 (also known as A3). A dog's
red blood cells can be DEA 1.1 positive or negative. Further,
DEA 1.1 negative cells can be DEA 1.2 positive or negative.
Cross
matching and Transfusions in Dogs
In contrast to human beings
and domestic cats, dogs do not seem to have any naturally
occurring antibodies to other blood types. This has several
important clinical implications:
Blood cross matching, which
is performed to detect antibodies in the recipients blood
to antigens in the donor's blood, is less important in
the dog, and may not have to be done at all if the recipient
dog has never received a transfusion before (which frequently
is the case).
An initial blood transfusion into a dog that has never before received a transfusion
is unlikely to cause a transfusion reaction.
Antibodies to foreign blood groups may develop in a dog within days of receiving
a transfusion. So, if a dog has received a transfusion before, it should be
cross matched to insure blood compatibility before receiving a second or subsequent
blood transfusion.
In the veterinary literature,
most of the emphasis on canine blood typing is placed on
the blood groups DEA 1.1 and DEA 1.2. Evidently, these
are the two most antigenic blood groups among dogs. Since
DEA 1.1 is the single most antigenic blood group, most
veterinarians recommend that DEA 1.1 positive dogs be avoided
as general use blood donors. Note, however, that DEA 1.1
positive dogs can donate to other DEA 1.1 positive dogs
with no problem. DEA1.1 negative and DEA 1.2 negative dogs
are often referred to as “universal donors.”
Blood
Groups in Cats
Domestic cats have a two antigen
blood group system which yields three possible blood types
for a cat: A, B, or less commonly, AB. The majority of
domestic cats in the United States have type A blood -
almost 99% of domestic short hair cats in the USA have
type A blood. These percentages vary from country to country
however, and probably from region to region within a country
as well.
Cat breeds other than the
domestic short hair have a much higher occurrence of Type
B blood. As the popularity of purebred cats increases,
it seems likely that the ratio of cats with Type B blood
will also increase.
Cross
matching and Transfusions in Cats
There is no universal donor
blood type in felines. However, a cat receiving even a
very small amount of the wrong blood type can be seriously
harmed if that cat if it is already sensitized to that
foreign blood type. This can be of particular importance
to British Short hair, Cornish Rex, and Devon Rex cats,
where the percentage of Type B cats is much higher (about
50%). The Abyssinian, Himalayan, Japanese Bobtail, Persian,
Somali, and Sphinx breeds also have a significant percentage
of type B blood individuals.
If a type B queen (mother
cat) gives birth to type A kittens, severe reactions can
occur in the kittens. Type B cats have strong antibodies
against Type A blood. These antibodies are passed in the
milk which is very bad for any kittens that are type A.
Since type A is the dominant blood type, this means that
most of the kittens born will be type A when a type A father
breeds with a type B mother. Neonatal isoerythrolysis -destruction
of the kitten’s red blood cells by the antibodies in the
mother’s milk- is very likely to occur. In the breeds in
which significant percentages of type B blood occur, it
is wise to know in advance what the blood types of prospective
parents are.
Blood
Groups in Other Animal Species
The blood group systems of
companion birds, reptiles, small mammals such as rabbits
and ferrets have not been extensively studied and their
clinical significance remains unknown.
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