Every blood donor is a hero – even our beloved pets. Just as human blood banks play a critical role in our healthcare, animal blood banks can mean the difference between life and death for our furry friends.
While it’s unimaginable for animal lovers, traumatic injuries do happen, whether from a car accident, an attack or broken limbs. Knowing how to give first aid to your dog in these situations can help stabilise him until you can get him to the vet’s consulting rooms. Once there, what usually saves the pet’s life (apart from the veterinarian’s skills) are blood supplies from a veterinary blood bank.
Blood bank for animals
Few people know that these blood banks exist, even though they are the vital lifeline that helps ensure the survival of countless beloved pets across the globe. Unfortunately, however, they can’t keep up with demand and the shortage of blood products for dogs, cats and other pets is in crisis.
This shortage is leading to delays in treatments, tough decisions on questions like whether to treat older pets instead of younger ones, and in some cases, preventable deaths. Imagine hearing that, due to a shortage, your beloved companion has been lost because the blood supplies he needed to survive were used on another pet in more critical need.
This is where the pet-loving public can help.
Similar to the human world, veterinary blood banks are supplied by donors. Some are individual pets brought in by owners to donate blood every few weeks, although this amounts to a tiny fraction of the blood supply. The majority comes from commercial blood banks, such as Animal Blood Resources International, as well as a variety of research universities, which house and care for retired racing dogs, rescue dogs or shelter animals.
Healthy donors
The dogs are carefully screened to ensure that they are in good health. Blood is drawn every two to four months (about two cups’ worth, which the dog begins replenishing immediately) and then separated into whole blood, red blood cells or plasma before being stored. Whole blood and red blood cells are used for dogs who have suffered major trauma and bleeding, while the plasma is used to help treat dogs with bleeding disorders or internal bleeding.
While blood banks ensure a regular supply, any vet will tell you blood products for pets are constantly in short supply. That’s in large part because of the growing pet population, but the overall need comes from more than traumatic accidents.
Pet diseases
Pets who have various auto-immune diseases, liver disease or clotting or other disorders need regular blood transfusions to preserve their health and wellbeing. Researchers and universities need blood supplies to advance veterinary medicine, perform more difficult and complex operations, and investigate new treatments. In the wake of natural disasters, large numbers of injured dogs, cats, livestock and other pets need immediate medical help. Blood banks often need to mobilise at a moment’s notice to get blood supplies to these affected areas, sometimes at the cost of ensuring adequate blood supplies elsewhere.
Become a donor
Can your dog be a donor? The short answer is ‘maybe’. Just like in humans, dogs have several different blood types – 13 in fact – which underscores the need for a robust blood supply. The most sought-after blood type is DEA 1 Negative, from larger breed dogs. Similar to type O blood in humans, DEA 1 Negative is a ‘universal’ type, but only about 45% of dogs have it.
Donors must be at least one year old, healthy and protected from all infectious diseases. Proper screening of blood supplies is also critical, so whether you bring your dog to your regular vet or to a community blood bank, be sure to ask whether rigid testing and protocols are in place.
You’ll typically be asked to commit to donating on a regular basis, anywhere from every eight weeks to every four months. Not many pet owners are willing to do this, which makes the importance of the commercial facilities that much greater.
Personal use
You may also be able to store your dog’s own blood with your vet for use in an emergency, but this can be expensive. Not all vets offer this option and, depending on where the accident happens, your vet may not be the closest option anyway.
Hopefully your beloved companion and family pet will never need a blood transfusion, but if the worst-case scenario arises, it’s helpful to know that thanks to blood banks and dog donors across the country, your dog’s life could be saved.
By Betsey Hodges