title: Canine Dal blood type: A red cell antigen lacking in some Dalmatians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Based upon alloantibodies produced after sensitizing dogs with transfused blood, more than a dozen blood group systems have been recognized thus far, and some have been classified as dog erythrocyte antigens (DEA).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A new canine red cell antigen was suspected, based on the development of specific alloantibodies in a Dalmatian previously sensitized by blood transfusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six Dalmatians (including 1 Dalmatian in need of blood compatibility studies); 55 canine blood donors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serologic tests, including blood typing, crossmatching, and direct Coombs' test were performed by standard tube techniques and a novel gel column technology adapted from human blood banking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By day 40 after transfusion of an anemic Dalmatian, all major crossmatch tests to 55 non-Dalmatian dogs were incompatible. The 2 initial donors, who were compatible before transfusion, were also now incompatible, suggesting the development of an alloantibody to a common red cell antigen. No siblings were available, but 4 of 25 unrelated Dalmatians were crossmatch compatible, suggesting that they were missing the same red cell antigen. The patient was blood typed DEA 1.1, 3, 4, and 5 positive, but DEA 7 negative. Further blood typing and crossmatching results did not support an association to any of these known blood types. The alloantibodies produced were determined to be of the immunoglobulin G class.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based upon the identification of an acquired alloantibody in a Dalmatian, a presumably new common blood type named Dal was identified. Dalmatians lacking the Dal antigen are likely at risk of delayed and acute hemolytic transfusion reactions.
authors.affiliation: Section of Medical Genetics and Penn Animal Blood Bank, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3900 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6010, USA.
authors.forename: Marie-Claude
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Blais
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Donna A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Oakley
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Giger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001789:Blood Group Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching / Q000662:veterinary*; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D001789:Blood Group Antigens; D007518:Isoantibodies