Gruppi sanguigni ed emocompatibilità nel cane

Five standard blood groups have been identified in dogs: DEA (dog erythrocyte antigen) 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and a more recently discovered blood group Dal. Accurate identification of blood groups is important in compatibility testing pre-transfusion and for the selection of blood donors for donation programs. The prevalence of the different groups in the dog population varies by region and breed. DEA 1 is the most prevalent type in the dog population, and also the one responsible for most major antigenic and acute hemolytic transfusion incompatibility reactions. Several rapid point-of-care tests are available for identification of DEA1 based on agglutination techniques with automated reading device, agglutination on card and on immunochromatography. There are also tests based on tube agglutination, gel column agglutination and on flow cytometry but these require reagents, equipment, and knowledge that limit their use to specialized laboratories. To avoid the premature destruction of transfused red blood cells and ensure maximum effectiveness of transfusion, major and minor cross matching should be performed before transfusion to identify incompatibilities in groups other than the DEA1 and the presence of naturally occurring antibodies (alloantibodies) directed against blood group antigens DEA 3, 4, 7.