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Treatment

If your dog exhibits a reaction to a blood transfusion, your veterinarian will immediately discontinue the transfusion and administer fluids in order to maintain the dog’s blood pressure and circulation. Depending on the severity and cause of the reaction, additional interventions may be necessary. Specific treatment depends on the cause and symptoms, and may also be administered through medication. For example, intravenous (IV) antibiotics may be given for septicemia, or for bacterial infection.

Living and Management

The patient’s basic vital signs (breathing and pulse) should be tracked before, during, and after a blood transfusion. In addition, temperature, lung sounds, and plasma color should be checked frequently.

Prevention

Blood transfusion reactions may be prevented by following standard blood transfusion protocol: thorough cross-checking of blood types to assure a match, condition of donor blood to prevent infection or spread of disease, and appropriate storage of donor blood. Transfusion should begin initially at an amount of one milliliter per minute, and all transfusion activity should be appropriately recorded in the patient’s medical file.