Blood transfusion in birds

• Author(s): Martinho, Filipe Miguel Reis
• Date: 2012
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10437/2942
• Origin: ReCiL - Repositório Científico Lusófona
• Subject(s): MEDICINA VETERINÁRIA; TRANSFUSÕES SANGUÍNEAS; AVES; VETERINARY MEDICINE; BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS; BIRDS
• Document Type: Article
• Language: English

Description

Birds, both companion and wild, have become frequent patients in veterinary clinics and hospitals as well in wildlife rehabilitation centers in the last two decades. In emergency situations, it is imperative to give the best critical care to these patients, which frequently implies reversing shock and re-establishing homeostasis. In order to do so, a blood transfusion can be life-saving. It is important to the clinician to properly evaluate these critical patients and decide when to administer blood or blood products.