Controversies Regarding Compatibility in Xenotransfusion With Blood From Dog to Cat (Review)

As it is well known, any incompatible blood transfusion can generate adverse reactions in feline patients, because cats naturally have plasmatic alloantibodies. Even so, recent scientific studies have shown that transfusions with heterologous blood (canine) to cats, were indeed followed by mild hemolysis states, in cases of severely anemic patients. A repeated transfusion however will cause anaphylactic shock with fatal outcome. Based on the data we have studied, we consider xenotransfusion, even though still controversial, to be considered as an emergency therapeutic procedure when superior, homologous blood cannot be acquired for felines. Through this review we hope to offer clinicians the necessary information to consider xenotransfusion as an alternative in emergency therapy, when this is rigorously sustained by blood compatibility tests and when all other options have been excluded only.