Laboratory analysis of canine packed red blood cells - effects of collection and processing on haemolysis, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit and blood culture

© 2013, Springer-Verlag London. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between blood collection and processing techniques and the quality of canine packed red blood cell (pRBC) units. This prospective study analysed 235 canine blood donations, followed by processing and evaluation of pRBC units. The need for sedation, number of venepunctures, whole blood volume, time to processing and time to analysis were registered, and five different centrifugation protocols were performed. The final pRBC volume, haematocrit, total haemoglobin concentration, haemolysis and bacterial contamination of pRBC units were evaluated. Obtained results were within the reference range of human blood banks' guidelines. One unit presented a positive bacteriologic analysis. No significant differences in haemolysis were detected when factors related to sedation, blood collection, time to processing or centrifugation protocols were studied. Significantly higher haematocrit values were detected in units centrifuged in a faster and longer programme (3,500×g, 15 min). There was a direct increase of haemolysis with longer time spent between centrifugation and analysis. This study demonstrates that haemolysis is significantly higher when analyses post centrifugations take 48–72 h to be performed than in short periods.