AN ACUTE HEMOLYTIC TRANSFUSION REACTION CAUSED BY DOG ERYTHROCYTE ANTIGEN-1.1 INCOMPATIBILITY IN A PREVIOUSLY SENSITIZED DOG

An acute hemolytic transfusion reaction resulting from dog erythrocyte antigen (DEA) 1.1 incompatibility developed in a dog previously sensi tized to DEA 1.1 by a transfusion 3 years earlier. The dog developed f ever, pigmenturia, and lethargy, and its pcv did not rise as expected. The donor blood was type DEA 1.1 positive, whereas the recipient's bl ood was type DEA 1.1, DEA 1.2, and DEA 7 negative. A major crossmatch was later found to be strongly incompatible. Studies of the recipient' s plasma revealed a specific anti-DEA 1.1 alloantibody of the IgG clas s with high hemolysin and agglutinin activity. Such acute hemolytic tr ansfusion reactions can be avoided by crossmatching previously transfu sed dogs and by using dogs that are type DEA 1.1 negative (and prefera bly also type DEA 1.2 and DEA 7 negative) as blood donors.-U. Giger et al (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1995;206:1358-1362). Key words: canine species ; blood type; transfusion reaction.