Pet Blood Bank UK, the only blood bank charity for vets in the UK, is appealing for more donors to come forward as demand for transfusions grows.
Mabel wasn’t born to be a life-saver. The six-year-old greyhound set out to do what most greyhounds are famous for: racing. However, after finishing last in 43 out of 58 races, she changed careers and is now excelling in her new position as a champion pet blood donor.
Her owner, Julia Purton, says that Mabel absolutely loves her new job.
“Mabel loves food and other people,” Purton says. “So the combination of the loving staff and abundance of treats at the blood bank means that she loves these trips to the blood bank.”
It might seem obvious that animals require blood transfusions too. However, the collection, processing, storage, and distribution of pet blood to vets in the UK, similar to how a human blood bank operates, only became possible after a change in law back in 2005.
Pet Blood Bank UK is calling for more dogs to donate blood.
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Lots Of Demand For Pet Blood Donations
Wendy Barnett, the founder of Pet Blood Bank UK, says that demand is high and is only continuing to grow.
“I witnessed first-hand just how difficult it was for a pet to have a blood transfusion,” Barnett says. “Blood could only be collected from someone the owner knew, such as a family member of their friend’s dog. And a blood transfusion was especially difficult if it was required overnight or during the weekend.”
Currently, Pet Blood Bank UK’s services are only available for dogs and alpacas. Although an expansion to provide the services to cats is currently being considered by the regulator.
Similar to humans, there are different blood types for dogs. In the UK, dogs are determined to either be positive or negative for the DEA1 antigen.
Your dog’s donation could save the lives of other pets.
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The negative blood type can be given to a dog of either blood type in an emergency. This blood type is the one in high demand, but only about 30% of dogs have the negative blood type.
Pet Blood Bank UK is on the lookout for donors from breeds that are likely to carry this blood type. This includes German Shepherds, Greyhounds, Dobermans, Boxers, and Flat-Coated Retrievers.
However, they also welcome any dogs that want to donate, provided that they are healthy, confident around other people, weigh more than 25kgs, and are between one and eight-years-old.
An Easy Process
The donation appointment is a three part process. It includes a health check-up from a vet followed by a tummy rub in the donation room while the dog gives roughly 450ml of blood.
“The donation process takes about 10 minutes. Most dogs are just happy to sit there and wag their tails on the table,” Barnett says.
After donating, the dogs are rewarded with post-donation tea and biscuits. The dogs are also offered a toy, either squeaky or raggy, to take home with them.
It’s a very gentle procedure according to Purton. “The staff are so caring,” she says. “If the dog shows any signs of distress, they stop right away. There’s no pressure on the dogs to keep going.”
“However, Mabel is in her element when she donates blood. When the staff are clipping her hair and putting the needle in, she merely lies on the table, almost as if asking if anyone is going to give her a gravy bone. She has fallen asleep a couple of times and we had to peel her off the table.”
Pet Blood Bank UK holds about five donation sessions every week across Scotland and England. Last year, they collected more than 3,000 units of blood, which were delivered to patients right all over the UK.
It’s For A Good Cause
One of the recipients is Milo. The now 18-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel became gravely ill with pancreatitis when he was only 10-months-old. He was rushed to the Small Animal Teaching hospital in Liverpool where he received an emergency transfusion as soon as he got there.
“If Milo hadn’t received that blood on the first day, he wouldn’t have made it,” says Milo’s owner, Gwyneth Melling.
Milo, with his owner Gwyneth Melling, was the receipient of a blood transfusion. Credit: Joel Goodman/the Guardian.
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Eight months on since his blood transfusion, Milo has fully recovered. After being confined to his home and requiring a regular drip for months, Milo only wants to run around chasing balls and sticks.
Curiously however, the hair that was shaved off to use in his tests and transfusions have grown back with silver streaks.
“I can’t believe how full of life he is,” Melling says. “I think he’s trying to make up for lost time.”
