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Canine Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA & IMHA) - PCV Count
| How low does the PCV count need to be to warrant a transfusion? Darcy was at 15% last Thursday and I don't take her back for a recheck until tomorrow morning. She's lying around, looking depressed right now. She wouldn't eat kibble this morning, but has eaten chicken, rice, and a little oatmeal. She goes out to potty okay. What signs do I need to look for that might indicate a drop in her PCV? |
| Karen NC |
| Karen, Excellent question. Accepted medical references I have read often advise not to transfuse until the PCV is around 11% (give or take). There can be risks associated with transfusions and they need to be done with great care. A transfusion can bring about negative reactions that can be as serious as the condition. However, other information indicates that perhaps it is becoming more acceptable to judge *when* by the condition of the patient. As dogs are individuals, their response to a low pcv can vary! I believe the veterinary industry is still learning about transfusions. I never let Chance go below 18% and I had no argument from my vet about that. He was unable to do his business at that PCV and I would not accept that. My approach was to schedule his transfusions ahead of time so that there was no emergency about it. However, remember he had a non-regenerative type of anemia so his numbers slid very slowly. I had more time. Signs would include constant pale gums and other mucous areas like the eyes. I saw Chance's ears were gray. Exercise intolerance, unwillingness to stand or walk. General inappetance. Difficulty moving the bowels. I am cutting and pasting a statement from Dr. Dodd's website http://www.hemopet.org/ that may shed some light on this topic so you can understand how new this really is. Patrice "Veterinary transfusion medicine is a vibrant emerging specialty. HEMOPET established the first private non-profit animal blood bank in 1991 and has since expanded worldwide. We service over 2000 veterinary clinics nationwide and in Canada. Plans are currently underway to develop other regional centers and a coordinated national effort to maximize the efficiency and use of existing inventory. Practical, safe and affordable transfusion medicine continues to be our goal." |
| Patrice NYS |
| I agree with Patrice mostly. For non-IMHA animals, we typically transfuse at about 19%, depending on the issue. But, for this disaese it is tricky. It greatly depends on how the animal looks clinically (attitude, etc). For Lola, I would not trans until she was at 15% or less. She hangs beautifully at about 22%, which is NOT normal or even good, but she clinically looks well there. She dropped last week from 19 to 17 to 12 in less than 10 hours, so if your dog looks and acts depressed, do not hesitate and go in to your vet. |
| Courtney SLO |
My dog had a PCV of 11 which was a great shock to me when I found this out as he seemed to manage quite well at this level. His PCV dropped very slowly as he had non regerative anemia and went from 14 to 11 over two weeks. Every dog is different. |
| Julie Australia |
This thread was discussed between 08/09/2008 and 09/09/2008
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