Your pets as blood donors
For an animal blood bank, little donations go a long way
It’s a familiar sight to see Facebook posts of sick cats and dogs pleading with pet owners to help out with blood donations. The truth is while it isn’t easy for owners of sick pets, it isn’t easy for owners of donors either. Samatcha Thanangthanakij is one such reluctant pet owner. The 29-year-old was initially hesitant about registering his dogs as blood donors. He feared that there could be complications caused by the donation. After all, the sight of blood being drawn from their beloved canine and feline companions will never sit well with any owner.
“I spoke with my friends whose pets donate blood. They said it was safe and there would be no need to sedate my dogs to make sure they lie still throughout the process. I decided to give it a shot,” said Samatcha. “I guess I can understand the feelings of the owners in desperate need for blood. If I were in need of blood for my dogs, I know I’d want it badly, too.”
Eventually, Samatcha registered his Siberian huskies on an online network as blood donors. In the past when people asked for his dog’s blood, he would consider them on a case-by-case basis. Now, however, he plans to donate regularly, especially when an animal hospital near his house unveiled a new blood bank for cats and dogs.
Last month, the Talingchan Animal Hospital welcomed its first batch of donors to its new blood bank in hopes of saving more animal lives. Its facility is equipped with a centrifuge, used to separate different blood elements — red cells, plasma and platelets — to suit the needs of sick animals. The blood bank also has separate containers to keep the products at suitable temperatures, with a separate freezer to store plasma. Though the facility works 24/7, what it lacks are donors.
There are different reasons cats and dogs need blood at some point in their lives — anything from a car accident to internal bleeding, anaemia and sickness, or even getting bitten by a venomous snake. Blood transfusions are often needed as urgently as possible to prevent organ system failure.
“We are always in desperate need for cat and dog blood,” said Oraya Prapanpot, head veterinarian at the Talingchan Animal Hospital. In a week, an average of four to five animals come into the hospital in need of a blood transfusion.
The veterinarian said that, ideally, she would love to have five to seven donors each week. But, the hospital only sees one or two a week, while the hospital’s stored bags of blood are emptied fast.
“It has to do with the people’s changing lifestyle, too,” Oraya speculated. “Nowadays, people tend to keep smaller pets and their size makes them ineligible as donors.”
There are set criteria for cats and dogs to be eligible as donors. Talingchan Animal Hospital stipulates that a dog has to weigh at least 20kg and be between the ages of one and six to be eligible as a donor. Cats need to weigh no less than 4kg and be between the ages of one and seven. They have to be in excellent health, completely vaccinated and not suffer from any skin conditions. Donors should also be free of fleas and ticks.
Oraya said that the criteria is almost the same in other animal hospitals. They are set to prevent donors from getting sick, as well as preventing any transmissible diseases that could pass from donor to receiver.
The process of blood donation includes a health check-up and blood test. If a pet is eligible, it enters the blood collection process. Blood is collected from either its neck or arm. A donor can be given medication to make it less agitated, which has no effect on its health or the quality of blood. The donation process takes around 20-30 minutes.
The veterinarian said that there have been no cats or dogs who have got sick from donating blood.
Before blood can be given to sick pets, the blood of donor and receiver is crossmatched. Having a lot of blood in a stock means there are more chances at finding the right match in time to save the four-legged patient.
“We may get blood from one dog at a time, but this blood can be separated into different blood products that could end up saving three more lives,” said Oraya. The veterinarian explained that blood donation is also good for donors as it will stimulate the donor’s bone marrow and replenish their blood.
The hospital is also offering benefits like free vaccines, health check-ups, discounts and pick-up services in the hope of encouraging more owners to enrol their pets as blood donors.
Pets can donate their blood every three months, just like humans.