A BIOMETRIC STUDY OF SOME REPRODUCTIVE COMPONENTS OF THE MALE DOMESTIC LOCAL BREED CAT (Felis catus domestica) IN NORTHWEST NIGERIA

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Indian Pet Journal www.indianpetjournal.com Vol 4 (1) Dec’13

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Preliminary Clinical Observations Following Intravenous Blood

Transfusion In Local Domestic Mongrel Cat’s In Sokoto, Nigeria

M.A. Umarua, A. Bello*

b, S. Ladan

c, D. Musa

d, U.M. Mera

e

Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria aDepartment of Theriogenology and Animal production,

bDepartment of Veterinary Anatomy,

cMinistry of Animal Health and Fishery, Sokoto State,

dDepartment of Agriculture, Sokoto state Polytechnic, Sokoto Nigeria,

eDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

In this study a preliminary attempt was made to look into intravenous blood transfusion. In this part

of the country it is performed, neither in the few veterinary teaching hospitals, nor in our local

veterinary clinics. However, several clinical cases are regularly lost due to problems of anaemia, and

several other situations of blood insufficiencies. Eighteen (18) adult stray cats were used. Six as

donors, six as recipients, and six as control receiving normal saline. Blood was collected from the

jugular vein of cats under sedation, and transferred to sedated recipients. Vital parameters

(temperature, pulse, heart beat rate and respiratory rate.), packed cell volume (PCV) and clinical

reactions to the infusions were observed. The PCV of the recipients increased between 5-10% while

the temperature was seen to be increasing as the transfusion was taking place. There was an average

increase of 6-10c. In the body temperature .clinical signs observed during the initial blood

transfusion includes, salivation, urination, muscular tremors, vomiting, lacrimation, and bloat. While

the signs were more severe after the repeat transfusion two weeks afterwards, indicating serious

transfusion reactions such as severe salivation, urination, muscular tremors, vomiting, lacrimation,

mydriasis, lethargy, convulsions, facial oedema, opisthotonus and death. The control received

placebo and did not show any signs of adverse clinical reactions. A PCV of 26.83± 2.48%, before and

33.50±3.21%after the first transfusion, while the temperature of 37.72±0.64◦c before and 37.9±3.89oc

after the transfusion, a heart rate of 118±5.72beats/min before and 143.33±12.61 beats/min after the

first transfusion. The PCV for the repeat transfusion was 32.5 ± 2.66% before and 37.9±0.54oc before

and 39.4±0.29 after the second transfusion while heart rates of 119.33±7.06beat/minutes before and

151.33±7.65 beat /minutes after the second intravenous transfusions. These experiments showed that

blood transfusion in the local mongrel cats in northwest Nigeria can be performed to save the live of

a cat with problems of blood insufficiency. However, with some adverse reactions, a repeat blood

transfusion is not recommended because it can come with attendant severe transfusion reactions,

including death. The findings were discussed in the paper.

Key words: Clinical observation, Blood transfusion,Domestic mangrel cat, Intravenous,

Sokoto.

Introduction

Blood transfusion is the process of transferring blood or blood based products from one

individual into the circulatory system of another, blood transfusion can be like saving in

some situations, such as massive blood loss due to trauma, shock or can be used to replace

blood lost during surgery. Blood transfusion may also be used to treat severe anaemia or

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thrombocytopenia caused by blood disease in individuals suffering from haemophilia of

sickle cell disease which may require frequent transfusion. To obtain blood from cat’s,

sedation of anaesthesia is necessary to knock down the cat sufficiently to make safe blood

collection and donation. The blood is obtained directly, from large veins in the neck Jugular

vein using syringe profiled with anticoagulant and direct vain puncture or butterfly to catheter

fluids are often administered before and during blood collection. Up to 1/% of blood volume

can usually be taken without ill effect as a rough guide, one percent (1%) of the donor body

weight (30mL for a 30kg cat). The main blood groups system in cats can be grouped into type

A, type B and type AB. Like humans type A automatically react to type B blood and vice

versa. The rare AB blood group cats can receive blood from either type A or type B donors.

Transfusion reaction are usually separated into two categories immunological and Non-

immunological, the most common reaction of transfusions are vomiting and facial oedema.

Immunological transfusion reaction can be haemolytic or non-haemolytic in nature. Both

types can be separated into acute (Those occurring immediately after transfusion) and

delayed reactions, the worst type of reaction is the acute haemolytic reaction which can result

in death of the animal. An acute haemolytic reaction is due to a blood type incompatibility,

there is the non immunological transfusion reaction like circulatory overload, Haemolysis,

Bacterial contamination, etc.

Materials and Methods

Twelve adult of either six were used for this study. The goats were purchased from Sokoto

market with ages ranging from 10-12 months and body weight ranging between 25-30kg.

They were fed on bean haulm, wheat bran with fresh tap water. They were kept for 20 days.

Before the commencement of the experiment in order to stabilized and acclimatized with the

environment. During this period, a prophylaxis antibiotic along with deworming of the

animals was incorporated.

Blood samples were taken using EDTA bottles for PCV. The animals were divided into two

groups of 6 each i.e. 6 donor and 6 recipients. The donors were physically restrained and

jugular vein was prepared aseptically with Savlon and razor blade was used for shaving the

area. Commercial blood bags were prepared with 18g hypodermic needle was inserted via the

jugular vein. The quantity of blood depend on the weight of the animal i.e 10% of the blood

volume can usually be taken without any effect i.e rough guide of 1% of the donor body

weight i.e 100ml for 10kg as reported by Boden, (2001). Samples were stored in the

refrigerator for a period of two days before administration. Before administration the PCV



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were taken and were also warmed to body heat before administration according to Boden,

(2001). The recipients were prepared and mildly sedated; the site of choice for the transfusion

was the cephalic vein. Materials use include: Butterfly needle, Given set and adhesive tape

the animals were observed for any possible reaction with record taken at every stage. Clinical

observation during and after intravenous blood transfusion were conducted.

Results

The Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of each recipient increased between 5-10% while the

temperature was seen to be increasing as the transfusion is taken place, it has a marked

increase of about 6-100C this is expected as. A new substance has been introduced into the

circulation of the animal’s body consequently there is likely to be such increase in

temperature. Physiologically, as of the donors there is slight decrease in temperature after

blood collection. Other observations apart from increase in temperature after transfusion as

shown in table below includes salivation shivering, vomiting lacrimation and bloat before

recovery from anaesthesia.

The table 1 shows record of PCV levels and vital parameter of cats (Donors) before sample

were taken first transfusion. Table 4 shows the record of PCV levels and vital parameters of

the recipient before and after the first and second transfusion and in the first transfusion the

following signs were observed. They include salivation, urination, convulsion and vomition

which is as result of recovery from anaesthesia while bloat is a result of prolong as result of

recovery from anaesthesia while bloat is a result of prolong recumbency, the result obtained

from the transfusion indicate that there is no adverse reaction of hypersensitivity after first

transfusion and the cats were kept under close observation for one week. Therefore, its safe

and it was equally found that the first exposure can lead to a significantly marked increase in

parked cell volume, after the second transfusion, the following signs were observed in

addition to the first ones mentioned above, there was server hyperaemia on all the mucous

membranes and the extremities. There was server salivation and mydriasis and there was a

prolonged recovery from anaesthesia as compared with the first transfusion, two of the

recipient eventually died within 30 and 46mins respectively. There was marked increase in

PCV and temperature; three of the cats remain dull 2 days. This shows that there was

hypersensitivity reaction following the second transfusion and mydriasis observed in one of

the cats was indicative of aesthetic over dose.



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Table 1: Record of PCV levels and vital Parameter of cats (donors) before sample were taken

first transfusion

Donor animal PCV (%) Temperature before

collection (0

C)

Temperature before

collection (0

C)

D1 42 37.8 37.2

D2 51 39.0 38.7

D3 38 38.2 37.1

D4 44 37.7 37.0

D5 39 38.6 37.2

D6 40 37.9 37.1

Table 2: Record of PCV levels and vital parameters of the recipient before and after

transfusion.

Recipient

animal

PCV (%)

Vol. Before

transfusion

PCV(%)

Vol. after

transfusion

Temp.

Before

transfusion

Temp.

After

transfusion

Heart/rate b/m before &

after transfusion

Before After

R1 26 32 38.2 39.5 120 152

R2 29 36 37.0 30.0 126 163

R3 30 38 37.8 40.0 118 144

R4 27 34 37.0 39.2 110 128

R5 23 29 37.7 39.0 114 135

R6 26 32 38.6 39.7 122 138

Mean±SD 26.83±2.48 33.50±3.21 37.72±0.64 37.9±3.89 118.33±5.72 143.33±12.61

Table 3: Record of PCV levels and vital parameter of cats (donors) before sample were taken

Second blood transfusion.

Donor animal PCV (%) Temperature before

collection (0C)

Temperature before

collection (0C)

D1 44 37.7 37.0

D2 39 38.6 37.2

D3 36 37.9 37.3

D4 38 38.1 37.7

D5 39 38.2 37.5

D6 29 37.4 37.0



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Table 4: Record of PCV levels and vital parameters of the recipient before and after the

second Blood transfusion.

Recipient

animal

OCV (%)

Vol. Before

transfusion

PCV (%)

after

transfusion

Temp.

Before

transfusion

(0

C)

Temp.

After

transfusion

(0

C)

Heart/rate b/m before &

after transfusion

Before After

R1 31 39 37.5 39.2 110 138

R2 33 41 38.1 39.5 117 152

R3 35 44 37.2 39.6 113 155

R4 36 46 38.7 39.6 113 155

R5 31 38 38.2 39.7 127 161

R6 29 37 37.7 38.9 126 153

Mean±SD 32.5 ±2.66 40.83±3.54 37.9±0.54 39.4±0.29 119.33±7.06 151.33±7.65

Table 5. Physiological/clinical manifestations following intravenous blood transfusions in the

local mongrel cats.

Clinical

manifestations

Control(n=6)

Received placebo 1

st

transfusion(n=6) 2nd

transfusion(n=6)

Salivation

Urination

Muscular tremors

Lacrimation

Vomition

Mydriasis

Erythrema

facial oedema

Convulsion

Death

No salivation

No urination

No muscular

tremors

No lacrimation

No vomition

No mydriasis

No erythrema

No facial oedema

No convulsion

No death

Salivation

Urination

Muscular tremors

Lacrimation

Vomition

Mydriasis

Erythrema

Facial oedema

Convulsion

No death

Profuse salivation

urination

Severe muscular

tremors

Lacrimation

Vomition

Mydriasis

Erythrema

Severe facial oedema

severe convulsion

Death (33.3%)

Discussion and Conclusion

It’s important to perform blood transfusion particularly in Veterinary Clinic. This will boost

survival of the animal by treatment of chronic anaemia. Blood transfusion may also be life

saving where it is necessary to replace blood loss caused by accident, shocks surgeries as well

as post partum haemorrhages. The process of transfusion will therefore greatly contribute to

good reproductive health reducing loss of pets or highly price animals.

Other observations include drop in temperature of donors after collection an increase in

temperature, heart beat and respiratory rate of the recipients after transfusion. Other signs

observed after the second transfusion was indicative of typical signs of hypersensitivity

reaction. As of increase in body temperature is not surprising because physiologically the



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body react with any foreign agent that comes into it, some literature reported that such type of

increase in temperature are as a result of increases in blood flow into the vein (Boden, 2001).

Collapse which is a sudden failure of a system and Opisthotonos which is the position

assumed by the back bone during one of the convulsive seizure or epilepsy (Black Veterinary

Dictionary, 2001). Other signs observe include polycerthyamia, which is a redness of skin,

the skin surface blood vessels become gorged with blood and is seen in some bacterial

infection (Streptococcal infection) or in hypersensitivity reaction and the one observed here is

as a result of hypersensitivity reaction. As of the salivation and urination observed they could

be as a result of sedation of the animal resulting from the loss of voluntary activities by the

animals under general anaesthesia, specifically stage I and II. Prior to the transfusion in the

first attempt it is thus recommended that all recipients be cross matched prior to receive blood

cats requires cross matching and typing because most cats are born with isoantibodies against

the blood types. They are not example type B cat have strong naturally occurring antibodies

against type A blood. A small amount of 1 ml of type A blood given to type B cat can cause a

fatal transfusion reaction. Clinical observations during transfusion to recipient shows the

animals in distress, it is therefore difficult to perform in practice as it can be time consuming

and stressful to the animal. It was also observed that there was an increase in PCV after the

second transfusion (significantly of between 5 – 10% it’s therefore expected as appreciable

amount of blood (www.doctorslounge.com). In the course of this work the recipients were

sedated for ease of transfusion also according to other workers in the literature the recipient

should be mildly sedated (Cynthia et al., 2005, Boden, 2001).

Finally, there is great achievement and success in this project work because of the significant

increase observed in PCV and typical signs of hypersensitivity reaction observed in the

second transfusion. It also indicate that successful procedure is practicable and clinical

observation were mild especially in the first transfusion so also there was no abnormal

reaction of haemolytic or non haemolytic types in the first transfusion which was observed in

the second transfusion. It is therefore recommended that blood transfusion should be practice

where necessary due to its positive impact and contributions for the animal involved.

Acknowledgement

I wish to show my sincere gratitude to Mr. M. I Jimoh and Mr. O. Olushola of the

department of veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of veterinary medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo



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university sokoto, for a job well-done in stabilising, handling and restraining the animals

during the research.

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A BIOMETRIC STUDY OF SOME REPRODUCTIVE COMPONENTS OF THE MALE DOMESTIC LOCAL BREED CAT (Felis catus domestica) IN NORTHWEST NIGERIA