Owners urged to take pets along to blood event
OF OTHER
A RESCUE dog owner and a vet have urged others to bring their pets to a blood donation event to help save animals’ lives.
Helen Edwards knows the importance of blood transfusions after her dog Teddy, a four-year-old crossbreed, needed two to survive a medical emergency 18 months ago.
Her beloved dog nearly died after a random wound suddenly appeared on his body and it was found that he had developed a condition that stopped his blood from clotting.
Teddy’s condition left him bleeding from a wound on his back and from his mouth and he started passing bloody diarrhoea. He has since recovered.
Helen, who lives in Heddon-on-thewall, took the dog to Westway Veterinary Group’s main hospital in West Road, Newcastle.
Teddy was admitted as an emergency during Westway’s out-of-hours service after vets found his blood was not clotting due to immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (IMTP).
The condition causes the body’s immune system, which normally fights infection and disease, to damage and destroy its own platelets.
It was also discovered that Teddy was bleeding internally and there were fears he would not survive. Vets gave the pooch his first blood transfusion, as well as steroids and chemotherapy until his body began to fight back.
He then required another transfusion two days later as he started bleeding again. In total, he received a oneand-a-half pints of blood from two dogs called in to act as donors.
The blood transfusions saved Teddy’s life, and now Helen has appealed to other owners to bring their pets along to a blood donor day being hosted at Westway Vets in Corbridge.
The Pet Blood Bank – the only charity that provides a blood bank service to veterinary practices across the UK – is
DONATIONS CAN HELP SAVE LIVES
ANIMALS
holding a donor session at the surgery in St Helen’s Street tomorrow.
The blood will be stored and used for transfusions to help stricken dogs.
Helen said she has a debt of gratitude to the owners whose pets donated and urged others to follow suit.
Helen said: “Teddy is very special to us and it’s heartbreaking to think that without a donor he would have died. We actually went into the veterinary hospital to say goodbye to him because everyone thought he wouldn’t survive.
“We were so lucky that on both occasions he needed a blood transfusion, Westway Vets were able to find people willing to let their dogs donate blood, otherwise he would not be here.
“What happened to him was very scary but he is no longer on medication and is now back to where he was before this happened, so we have been very fortunate. The vets at Westway Vets in Corbridge keep a close eye on him in case he relapses.
“Because of the amazing treatment Teddy received, I would encourage other dog owners to come forward and register their pet as a donor. They could end up saving another dog’s life.”
The blood taken by the Pet Blood Bank is taken to its centre in Loughborough for processing and testing before it is sent to practices all over the UK.
Vet Carey Taberner said: “It is safe for dogs to donate blood, although they have to be the right temperament and meet certain criteria.
“There is always a need for blood for emergency cases, such as Teddy. Having a transfusion undoubtedly saved his life.”