Discordance between ABC blood phenotype and genotype in a domestic short-haired cat.

An adult domestic short-haired feline leukemia virus-infected cat was referred for kidney failure and worsening anemia requiring transfusions. ABC blood typing was performed with an immunochromatographic strip assay at different occasions. Gel column systems were used for the major and minor crossmatching tests, and anti-A and anti-B titers were determined. No discrete A or B bands appeared on the immunochromatographic strips at any time point for the recipient cat. The recipient's plasma agglutinated RBCs from tested type A and B cats. The recipient's RBCs appeared compatible with plasma from 1 type A and 2 B donors, and incompatible with plasma from another type A cat. Genotyping of recipient blood revealed a single homozygous c.179G>T CMAH variant predicting a blood type B. These studies suggest an unusual weak type B or missing all ABC antigens. The latter resembles the exceedingly rare Bombay phenotype in the human ABO blood group system.

Comparative Evaluation between Visual and Automated Dipstick Urinalyses in Dogs.

Urine test strips are commercially available and can be assessed with semi-automated analyzers or by visual assessment. This study aimed to compare the visual and automated evaluations of dipstick variables in canine urine samples. One hundred and nineteen urine samples were evaluated. Automated analysis was performed on a veterinary urine analyzer URIT-50Vet (URIT Medical Electronic) with UC VET13 Plus strips. Multistix 10 SG dipsticks (Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany) were used for visual evaluation, along with a refractometer (Clinical Refractometer Atago T2-Ne, Atago Co., Tokyo, Japan) for urine specific gravity measurements. A linear relationship was observed between the pH measurements (p = 0.2) of the two methods; the Passing-Bablok procedure was valid since neither proportional nor systematic significant errors were observed. Comparing the two methods, the correlation for urine specific gravity was poor (p = 0.01, CI 0.667-1.000). Moderate agreement was demonstrated for proteins (κ = 0.431), bilirubin (κ = 0.434) and glucose (κ = 0.450). Agreement was substantial for blood (κ = 0.620) and poor for leukocytes (κ = 0.100). Poor agreement was observed for ketones (κ = -0.006). Apart from the pH analysis, visual and automated dipstick urinalyses should not be used interchangeably. Multiple urine samples obtained from the same dog during the day should be evaluated using the same method to overcome erroneous results.