Conference misery::feline

351.0. "Blood Type Incompatibility" by MUTTON::BROWN (everybody run Prom Queen's Gotta Gun!) Mon Aug 10 1992 17:53

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Note 2308.0          TWO BLOOD TYPES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN CATS          15 replies
YOSMTE::CORDESBRO_JO                                 32 lines  17-MAR-1989 19:10
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    There has been a recent discovery that there are now two blood types
    in cats.  I am aware of it because Birmans have been found to be
    one of the breeds affected by this blood typing.
    
    The affect that it can have on you as pet owners, is that if your
    cat is a B type, and it ever needs a transfusion, if it gets it's
    transfusion from an A type cat, it could be fatal.
    
    The affect that it has on breeding cats is that if two cats are
    bred together that have two different blood types, the resulting
    litter could be in grave danger.  Turns out that any kittens born
    with a different blood type than the dam will receive antibodies
    to their own bloodtype when they nurse.  This will cause them to
    die as the antibodies destroy their red blood cells.
    
    The Sacred Cat of Burma Fanciers club has donated money to the research
    being done on this problem at the University of Pennsylvania.  Seems
    that the problem is found mostly in the North East part of the country,
    but there have been a couple of B type cats found out here.
    
    The University of Pennsylvania sent out instructions for having
    my cats blood drawn, and shipped to them for typing.  I have not
    been able to do this yet since I have 18 cats, and the cost for
    having it drawn at my vets is about $30.00 a piece, plus it costs
    $10.00 to have it typed.
    
    I thought maybe we could open up a discussion about this problem.
    Have any of you heard of this?  Have any of you ever had your cats
    blood typed before?  Just reading the previous note about Blood
    Donor Cats and Dogs brought this to my mind.
    
    Jo

    I brought this note in from Feline_V1 since Nancy DC had asked for
    info.  The original note in Feline_V1 has about 15 replies, in case
    anyone would like to read through them.
    
    The Robert H. Winn Foundation, National Birman Fanciers and Sacred Cat
    of Burma Fanciers have all donated money to Dr. Urs Giger at the
    University of PA to help with his study on this problem.  
    
    Since I wrote the base note in Feline_V1 I have had several of my cats
    typed.  Mine have all been type A.  I know of several breeders whose
    cats have typed out as B's.
    
    Jo

    Just in case you go into his note again!  I have recently heard of a
    friend who has purchased a cat for her breeding program.  It is said
    that one of the cats behind this one was a type B and the not to many
    of these cats kittens have lived.  Is there any way of knowing besides
    the test and also, if a kitten is going to have this problem, what do
    you look for ? I don't want to alarm her for no reason. 
    Karen

    Rest assured that there are lots of B type cats running around alive
    and well. :')  The problem can sometimes occur after a breeding has
    taken place between parents of different blood types.  If the queen is
    a type A and the sire a B, if any kittens inherit the B type from the
    sire they may receive antibodies to their blood through their mother's
    milk.  This could result in their deaths shortly after birth.  I think
    that one sypmtom is a bright orange urine.  Other symptoms are general
    fading kitten symptoms.  Have your friend contact Dr. Urs Giger at the
    University of Pennsylvannia for more information.
    
    Jo