Shauna Blois

Research Interests

My primary research interests are in canine and feline hematology and hemostasis, specifically the causes of immune mediated blood disorders as well as the changes in blood coagulation that various diseases can cause in the body. As the director of the OVC Small Animal Blood Bank, I am also interested in the safety of blood transfusion and other aspects of transfusion medicine.

I collaborate with colleagues on a variety of other research topics, including the effects of health and disease on the microbiome, as well as on optimal communication techniques for teaching veterinary students as well as for use in clinical practice. 

Current Research:

• Assessment of pre-transfusion testing on blood transfusion safety.
• Immunopathogenesis of immune mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs and cats.
• Coagulation abnormalities in immune mediated and other diseases.
• Longitudinal study of the microbiome in a healthy dog population.
• The ‘talking physical examination’ in the veterinary curriculum and in small animal practice.

Current Graduate Students

Sebastien Sanz (co-supervised with Dr. Allison Collier; DVSc student, resident in Small Animal Internal Medicine): the short and long-term changes in the canine microbiome associated with antimicrobial use; changes in the microbiome associated with disease in dogs

Mary Brown (MSc student): the safety of repeated blood donation in feline blood donors

Robinn Teoh (DVSc student, resident in Small Animal Internal Medicine): the pathophysiology of feline immune mediated anemias and cytopenais.

Erin Phillips (PhD student): the impact of the talking physical examination in the DVM curriculum and in veterinary clinic visits. 

Selected Publication

• Monitoring of Rivaroxaban Therapy in Hypercoagulable Dogs. Phillips EM, Blois SL, Abrams-Ogg ACG, Wood RD, Monteith G, Cuq B.J Vet Intern Med. 2025 Mar-Apr;39(2):e70014. doi: 10.1111/jvim.70014.

• The Talking Physical Exam: a communication tool for engaging clients during the companion animal physical exam. Phillips E, Coe JB, Blois S, Stone E.J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2025 Feb 26:1. doi: 10.2460/javma.25.01.0016. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40015241

• ACVIM consensus statement on the treatment of immune thrombocytopenia in dogs and cats. LeVine DN, Goggs R, Kohn B, Mackin AJ, Kidd L, Garden OA, Brooks MB, Eldermire ERB, Abrams-Ogg A, Appleman EH, Archer TM, Bianco D, Blois SL, Brainard BM, Callan MB, Fellman CL, Haines JM, Hale AS, Huang AA, Lucy JM, O'Marra SK, Rozanski EA, Thomason JM, Walton JE, Wilson HE.J Vet Intern Med. 2024 Jul-Aug;38(4):1982-2007. doi: 10.1111/jvim.17079. Epub 2024 May 23.

• Investigation of Platelet Function Analyzer 200 platelet function measurements in healthy cats and cats receiving clopidogrel. Kornya MR, Abrams-Ogg ACG, Blois SL, Wood RD.J Vet Diagn Invest. 2023 Nov;35(6):664-670. doi: 10.1177/10406387231197440. Epub 2023 Aug 30.PMID: 37646490 

• Accuracy of a point-of-care major crossmatch test and risk factors for major crossmatch incompatibility in cats. Blois SL, Marshall H, Abrams-Ogg ACG, Bersenas AM, Ruotsalo K, Monteith G.Vet J. 2021 Jun;272:105663. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2021.105663. Epub 2021 Mar 26.PMID: 33941337

• Association of Veterinary Hematology and Transfusion Medicine (AVHTM) Transfusion Reaction Small Animal Consensus Statement (TRACS). Part 1: Definitions and clinical signs. Davidow EB, Blois SL, Goy-Thollot I, Harris L, Humm K, Musulin S, Nash KJ, Odunayo A, Sharp CR, Spada E, Thomason J, Walton J, Wardrop KJ.J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio). 2021 Mar;31(2):141-166. doi: 10.1111/vec.13044. Epub 2021 Mar 31.PMID: 33792171

• Association of Veterinary Hematology and Transfusion Medicine (AVHTM) Transfusion Reaction Small Animal Consensus Statement (TRACS) Part 2: Prevention and monitoring. Davidow EB, Blois SL, Goy-Thollot I, Harris L, Humm K, Musulin S, Nash KJ, Odunayo A, Sharp CR, Spada E, Thomason J, Walton J, Wardrop KJ.J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio). 2021 Mar;31(2):167-188. doi: 10.1111/vec.13045. Epub 2021 Mar 10.PMID: 33751789

• Serum interleukin 17 concentrations in dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Cuq B, Blois SL, Bédard C, Wood RD, Abrams-Ogg AC, Beauchamp G, Wood GA.J Vet Intern Med. 2021 Jan;35(1):217-225. doi: 10.1111/jvim.15977. Epub 2020 Nov 21.PMID: 33219716

• ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs and cats. Garden OA, Kidd L, Mexas AM, Chang YM, Jeffery U, Blois SL, Fogle JE, MacNeill AL, Lubas G, Birkenheuer A, Buoncompagni S, Dandrieux JRS, Di Loria A, Fellman CL, Glanemann B, Goggs R, Granick JL, LeVine DN, Sharp CR, Smith-Carr S, Swann JW, Szladovits B.J Vet Intern Med. 2019 Mar;33(2):313-334. doi: 10.1111/jvim.15441. Epub 2019 Feb 26.PMID: 30806491

  Search Pubmed or GoogleScholar for all of my publications.

Textbook Contributions:

• Contributing author, The Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Manual, Editor: Mathews.
  • Chapters authored/co-authored: Canine Thromboembolic Disease, Feline Thromboembolic Disease, Transfusion of Blood, Esophageal Foreign Bodies, Hyperadrenocorticism.
• Contributing author, Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Editors: Ettinger, Feldman, Cote.
  • Chapters authored/co-authored: Anti-inflammatory therapy, Petechiae and Ecchymoses, Blood transfusions, Hyper- and Hypocoagulable states.
• Contributing author, Clinical Veterinary Advisor - Dogs and Cats.
  • Chapters authored/co-authored: Cyanosis, Epistaxis.
• Contributing author and section editor, Veterinary Technician Specialists – Internal Medicine Textbook.
  • Chapters authored: Introduction to Vaccination, Canine Vaccination, Dietary Treatment of Urinary Tract Disorders.
  • Section editor of Immunology and Vaccination section.    
• Contributing author, Merck Veterinary Manual.
  • Chapters authored: Gastrointestinal Diseases (Gastrointestinal Ulceration, Helicobacter Infection, Gastrointestinal Neoplasia, Gastrointestinal Obstruction).
• Contributing author, Veterinary Board Games (Veterinary Board Exam Review Flash Cards), Charlottetown PE, Canada; www.veterinaryboardgames.com (2008).

Search PubMed for additional publications by Dr. Blois.