Introduction
The aim of this study is to determine blood donation’s effect on arterial blood pressure in sedated and non-sedated feline donors.
Methods
A total of 38 client-owned healthy cats were enrolled in this study. Group 1 (G1) included 24 sedated cats (mixture of 0.1–0.2 mg/kg diazepam, 0.02–0.04 mg/kg butorphanol and 0.5–1 mg/kg ketamine, IV) and group 2 (G2) included 14 non-sedated cats. Donations took place in a cat-friendly controlled environment. Blood pressure was measured on the caudal ventral artery (VetHDO—High Definition Oscillometry) immediately before and immediately after a blood donation of 10–12 ml/kg. Five consistent (<20% variability) measurements of SBP, DBP, MAP (mm Hg) and pulse rate (ppm) were performed per evaluation after discarding the first one. Then, mean values were calculated for each parameter.
Due to the sample size, non-parametric tests were used. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare the values pre- and post-donation, and the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the values obtained between sedated and non-sedated cat donors.
Results
In G1 pre-donation blood pressures (SBP 162.53±14.2**, DBP 85.94±15.34** and MAP 112.16±11.95*) were significantly higher (*p<0.001 or **p<0.05) than post-donation (SBP 156.52±9.37, DBP 79.84±14.57 and MAP 104.67±8.49). Pulse was significantly lower pre-donation (191.84±30.63*) than post-donation (237.15±33.64).
In G2 no significant differences were found in SPB (pre-donation 158.83±18.63 VS post-donation 152.19±17.86) and pulse (pre-donation 189.47±26.54 VS post-donation 199.29±47.34); on the contrary, pre-donation DBP (81.70±10.33) and MAP (109.33±11.11) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than post-donation (DBP 73.91±13.19; MAP 100.79±12.77).
Comparison between G1 and G2 revealed significant differences only in post-donation pulse rate (p<0.05), with higher values on G1 (237.15±33.64) than G2 (199.29±47.34). The lowest post-donation measurements were 140.8 SBP, 57.2 DBP and 94.3 MAP in G1 and 118.6 SBP, 55.4 DBP and 83.8 MAP in G2. No clinical signs of hypotension were registered.
Conclusions
This study suggests that in both sedated and non-sedated cats, differences in blood pressure are mild and not clinically relevant. Additional studies with a higher population and different sedative protocols may be useful.
E-mail: mafaldamorais@bsanimal.com