Measurement of Coagulation Factor Activity and Bacterial Growth in Canine and Feline Fresh Frozen Plasma With Unintended Exposure to Room Temperature.

Canine and feline FFP exposed to room temperature for ~10 hours may retain adequate hemostatic function and remain transfusion-viable.

This study evaluated the hemostatic viability and microbiological safety of canine and feline fresh frozen plasma (FFP) following inadvertent thawing due to a freezer alarm malfunction. Numerous units of canine and feline FFP were exposed to room temperature for approximately 10 hours as a result of the equipment failure. To assess transfusion suitability, representative units from each species were analyzed using prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and individual coagulation factor activity measurements. Results demonstrated that PT and PTT values remained within normal limits for both canine and feline samples. All measured coagulation factor activities exceeded 70% of established reference interval standards, which is the commonly accepted threshold for clinically adequate hemostatic function. Bacterial culture results showed no evidence of microbial growth after the 10-hour room temperature exposure period. The authors concluded that canine and feline FFP units exposed to room temperature for up to approximately 10 hours under the described circumstances may retain adequate hemostatic capacity and remain viable for use as transfusion products. Clinicians facing similar freezer malfunction scenarios may consider these findings when making decisions about whether to discard or utilize affected FFP units, though the authors acknowledge the limited sample size and specific circumstances of this report.

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