YOUR dog could save a life by becoming a blood donor.
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It’s not something that is often considered, but dogs are just as capable of giving blood as humans.
While the demand for blood from dogs isn’t as high, it is always good to have a list of donors that can be called upon to give blood in an emergency.
Stewart Street Veterinary Hospital runs a canine blood bank service that is available to dogs if a blood transfusion is needed.
The clinic aims to keep a small supply of blood on hand at all times, but as blood only lasts about 30 days, staff rely more on a register of dogs that can donate at a moment’s notice.
“The important thing for us is to have dogs available to donate blood,” Dr Ewald Jooste said.
“Most of our members of staff are animal lovers and have a lot of pets that can donate.”
All kinds of dogs are able to be donors provided they are healthy and have a good body condition, however, the dogs best suited to giving blood are larger breeds such as labradors.
“That is the ideal donor because they can handle it a lot better and smaller dogs give a smaller quantity,” Dr Jooste said.
The process of donating takes about one hour to complete.
It involves checking the dog over, sedating them and then collecting the blood via the jugular vein in the neck.
“The actual collection process takes about three or four minutes, but we have to prepare the dog first and then examine it after, so it takes around an hour,” Dr Jooste said.
Canine blood transfusions occur throughout the year, but they are more common during winter.
Dr Jooste said people tend to put out rat baits over the colder months to kill rodents, but dogs often end up ingesting the poison and require a blood transfusion as part of their treatment.
“The other use [for blood] is trauma and that is unpredictable,” Dr Jooste said.
Stewart Street Vet is always keen to add more dogs, and cats as well, to its registry of blood donors.
Owners who are happy to be called upon in the event that blood is needed are invited to contact the clinic on 6331 1222 to add their pet’s name to the list.