Today's episode is split into two sections but has an evidence-based medicine theme throughout. In the first section, prompted by something I recently encountered in human medicine, I discuss clinical policies and guidelines. How can we have confidence in them?

In the second section of this episode I discuss a couple of journal papers looking at the use of predictive transfusion formulae in dogs and cats. Do these formulae accurately predict the increase in PCV after a blood transfusion?

The papers are:

“Accuracy of formulas used to predict post-transfusion packed cell volume rise in anemic dogs” by Short, Diehl, Sheshadri and Serrano, published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in August 2012. (Volume 22, Issue 4, pages 428–434, August 2012).

“Assessment of five formulae to predict post-transfusion packed cell volume in cats” by Reed, Espadas, Lalor et al. This is from the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery August 2014. (Volume 16, Issue 8, pages 651-656, August 2014). 

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