They are an amazing resource! We did actually order blood from them. We got this next day delivery but the cat had an acute deterioration. I think this is a great example of how immediately life saving the xenotransfusion can be!
I love getting the delivery of cat blood from Portugal! The little bags of blood are so cute!
It is definitely not as high risk as we maybe thought.
There is no specific recommendation for any measures above and beyond what we would do for a ‘normal’ transfusion. Careful monitoring and slow rate to begin with.
I have no direct experience using it but have had a look at the information available. Cartrophen Vet is not approved for use in cats but vets are using it off-label (cascade system) in cats for the treatment of arthritis following owner consent. There seems to be very limited research overall:
I could only find the two publications above looking directly at the veterinary literature. The following paper is the only one listed on the Cartrophen website:
I have looked at this again and spoken to neurology and surgical collegues. I do not think there is good literature to support a bladder size guide in dogs. We will assess patients on a very individual basis. I also think it is interesting to consider the method of supporting urination. Indwelling atheter vs expression vs intermittent catheterisation. I have popped an interesting papaer below.
I also saw a paraplegic dog this week with a sacral implant so that the owner could control exactly when the dog voided urine! How cool. I have posted a paper below.
My heart was in my mouth! It reminded me of the contrast studies we were trying to achieve when we were doing the intrahepatic shunt. You do it better when you are not even trying! x
Air embolism is definitely reported as a potential risk of doing contrast studies. When I worked at the Vet School we used CO2 and not air for this reason. The complication that we saw here was a whole other level. There is only one other case report in a cat showing this. I don’t think this should stop us doing these studies… but it definitely made me STOP… and think!… and panic a bit! x
The contrast has leaked in to the vena cava! I cam up to a point of resistance with the urinary catheter at the level of the prostate. Injected contrast under a normal amount of pressure. I presume that the disease within the prostate was so severe that it allowed contrast leakage through the tissue. It just blows my mind that the path of least resistance was the vena cava!!! Scott 🙂
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