Could your cat or dog be a life saving donor?
Giving blood saves lives and during this year’s National Blood Week pet owners will be reminded that the UK needs approximately 200,000 new donors each year to meet patient demands.
Yet, a less familiar reminder is the need to provide donations for pets too.
For those considering whether their pet could become a donor, MedicAnimal, the UK’s leading online pet healthcare retailer, has put together some useful tips on what owners need to know.
Andrew Bucher, Chief Veterinary Officer at Medic Animal, said: “Being told that your pet requires a blood transfusion is probably one of the last things an owner may expect to hear from a vet, yet it’s something that cannot be overlooked.
“Issues such as accidents, anaemia or leukaemia could result in your pet needing to be given a transfusion.
“Like humans, donating blood is something we may brush off and never get around to, but as you never know when your dog may need it, I’d urge all owners to speak to their vet or go online to see if their cat or dog is eligible.”
Dogs:
Dogs must be aged between one and eight years old; weigh over 25kg and be in good health; dogs must never have travelled abroad, must be up to date with their vaccines and have never received a transfusion; a standard blood donation is around 450ml (known as one canine unit); your dog will be fine after approximately 24 hours but the actual volume of blood can take around two months to be replaced; like with humans, dogs are asked to donate up to three to four times a year; and there are 13 different blood types in dogs, and eight blood groups that are most commonly seen. Between a third and a half of the canine population are considered to be ‘universal recipients,’ meaning that they can generally accept blood from any blood group. According to the charity Pet Blood Bank UK, over 1000 dogs needed a blood transfusion last year.
Cats:
Cats must be aged between one and five years old; weigh over 4kg but not overweight; fully vaccinated, in good health and calm when visiting places such as the vets; and in cats, there are three types of blood groups and the correct match must be established before a transfusion can take place.