‘I was more nervous than Bear – but he was in doggy heaven with all the treats and attention he was getting’
LAYCIE BECK took her dog, Bear, to give blood after hearing about the Pet Blood Bank. Here’s what happened
ANYONE who is a regular blood donor will know the amazing feeling you get from donating blood and knowing you are helping to save lives.
A few months ago I came across the animal version of the NHS blood donation process, the Pet Blood Bank.
I was astonished such a thing even existed and, after doing a bit of research, found the organisation mainly works with dogs for donations, but that cats and even alpacas can donate!
As my curiosity continued to get the best of me, I learnt that every unit of blood donated by a dog can help save up to four other lives – but only certain dogs meet the criteria to donate.
The requirements state that a dog must weigh 25kg, be at least one year old and have a good temperament.
With most dogs I know being well under the 25kg necessary, it was unnerving to think about how few dogs may be eligible to donate and the impact this could have on pets in need.
As the owner of an over-friendly rottweiler, weighing over 45kg, I thought it was something we could try.
Bear is a really friendly chap who loves everyone, so I felt that if he understood what he was doing then he would want to help the other dogs.
I signed Bear up for a session that was taking place at a veterinary practice in Retford on a Sunday. I was rather nervous but he had a wagging tail and was excited when we went in and saw lots of people.
What was great as well is during the time we were waiting we saw a few dogs come out of their sessions with extremely waggy tails, which made me feel a bit more relaxed.
It was also nice being able to chat with owners who have dogs that regularly donate.
Bear had some fuss off the volunteers and other visitors, as well as a few treats, and then we went in to see the vet.
One great thing about taking your pet to donate blood is that before each session they get a free health check from a vet, and I was pleased to hear that Bear was very healthy, at a good weight, temperature and blood levels.
I was worried about the clippers coming out, but Bear wasn’t scared and barely noticed when the vet skilfully shaved a small patch of hair on his neck.
Unfortunately, he just wanted to see what was happening so he also had a small area of his leg shaved so that a blood sample could be taken from his leg instead.
One of the things I know from being a human blood donor is that it is not a pleasant feeling having a needle put in your arm, but dogs donating get an anaesthetic cream applied to the area to numb it and help keep them comfortable.
After the all-clear, we went into the donation room, where yet another group of kind staff members were there to explain the next steps.
Bear was placed on the table where he lay down and waited for the donation.
A needle was carefully placed in the side of his neck and for almost a minute he was giving blood with his tail happily wagging, but he didn’t want to lie still and wanted to see what was going on so we decided to stop the session.
The most important thing for us and the staff members was that he was not uncomfortable at any point, and we also didn’t want to stress him out. I was told that most dogs don’t donate the full amount on the first session and many don’t even make it to the table, so he did a great job and the first visit is about getting them used to everything.
He had a lovely bright bandage put on his neck and almost seemed sad to leave the room full of people who had just been giving him belly rubs on the table.
However, once we were back in reception we were given a big bag of treats and Bear chose a toy from the box. I was expecting him to try and take a couple, as at home his favourite thing to do is empty the toy box after I tidy up, but he just took the one and started nudging people with it so they would play with him.
He had a few more cuddles and then we were off home, with the process probably taking the best part of an hour.
If he had donated the full 450ml needed for a donation, Bear would have also been given a red bandanna to let people know he is a donor and every fifth visit the donors get a badge to be ironed onto it.
It was an unusual but rewarding experience, and I think I was more nervous than Bear who was in doggy heaven with all the treats and attention he was getting.
I would urge anyone with a big dog to consider becoming a donor, as I couldn’t even imagine what it must be like for someone with a pet in need of a blood transfusion.
More information on the Pet Blood Bank can be found at www.petbloodbankuk.org/