How to do a canine blood typing test.

How to do a canine blood typing test.T he most important canine blood type is DEA 1.1. Dogs that are DEA 1.1 positive (33% to 45% of the population) can be considered to be universal recipients, in that they can receive blood of any type for their first transfusion without expectation of a life-threatening Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction ("HTR"). Dogs that are DEA 1.1 negative can be considered universal donors, to the extent that they can donate blood to both DEA 1.1 negative or positive dogs. Blood from DEA 1.1 positive dogs should never be transfused into DEA 1.1 negative dogs. If it is the dog's first transfusion, the transfused red cells will have a shortened life due to the formation of alloantibodies in the recipient’s serum. Consequently, the recipient will forever be sensitized to DEA 1.1 positive blood. If it is a second transfusion of DEA 1.1 positive cells, life-threatening conditions will follow within hours. In addition, these alloantibodies will be present in a bitch's milk (colostrum) and will adversely affect the health of DEA 1.1 negative puppies. The DMS laboratories, Inc. offers several choices for easy to use, rapid testing that can be used in the veterinary clinic, or even under field conditions, to determine if a dog is blood type DEA 1.1 positive or negative.