Our pets are more than just animals. Besides their long tongue sticking out of a smiling face, they lift us with unconditional love and loyalty. However, not all dogs are the same. Many suffer from conditions like tick fever, anemia, and low platelet count, and they depend on their species to help them get better, often through life-saving dog blood donation camps.
In India, a staggering 95% of street dogs are anemic, 70% have low platelets, and 90% are plagued by ticks and fleas, leading to skin issues and life-threatening tick fever. Diseased, injured, and operated dogs often suffer from blood loss or anemia, requiring immediate blood transfusions. Sadly, it is a challenge to locate a suitable donor match, leading to the loss of numerous animals.
As responsible pet owners, we must ensure our pets are healthy and happy. Only healthy and happy dogs could help save another animal’s life by giving blood. Blood transfusions are crucial for pets during emergencies, and your furry friend could save a life in those critical situations.
Understanding Blood Donation in Dogs
Understanding blood donation in dogs highlights the urgent requirement for awareness and action in life-threatening situations. Similar to humans, pets might need immediate blood transfusions to replenish lost blood and its parts.
Despite being important, Anushka Iyer, founder and CEO of Wiggles, feels there is a lack of knowledge and persistent myths surrounding pet blood donation, highlighting the need for more education and awareness to bust lies and save lives.
The blood donation process in pets is simple and painless, conducted under veterinary supervision. Dilip Sonune, Director of Veterinary Services at Wiggles.in, explains that ensuring the pet’s comfort is crucial. A suitable vein is identified, and an IV catheter transfers blood to a specialized EDTA blood bag, ensuring the donor pet’s well-being.
The Process of Dog Blood Donation
Donating blood is quick and straightforward, taking around 10 to 15 minutes. Ensuring your pet is relaxed is crucial since they react differently to new environments. Once comfortable, the blood donation only takes 10 minutes, and your pet can go home shortly after.
Eligibility for Dog Blood Donation
There are specific criteria that your dog must meet to be eligible to donate blood:
- Clinically healthy and between 1 to 8 years of age
- Weighing above 8 kg for small breeds, 14 kg for medium breeds, and 25 kg for large breeds
- Completely vaccinated and dewormed
- Free from any diseases and illnesses in the last six months
- Free from ticks and fleas
- No recent travel history
- For females, they should not have been pregnant in the last six months
Step-by-Step Process of Dog Blood Donation
- Pre-donation Check-up: Your vet may conduct some tests to ensure your pet can donate blood.
- Making the pet Comfortable: The pet is made comfortable before the donation, ensuring calm and relaxed.
- Drawing Blood: Blood is usually drawn from the jugular vein at the neck using an IV catheter attached to a specialized EDTA blood bag.
- Care During Donation: Throughout the process, the pet receives much care, praise, and attention.
- Post-donation: After the donation, the pet is provided with a health supplement or an energy booster and kept under observation for 2 hours. Most pets recover quickly and go about their day as they usually would.
The Urgent Need for Animal Blood Banks in India
In India, the presence of only two animal blood banks highlights the critical need for more facilities to ensure the availability of donor blood for pets in need. This scarcity makes it challenging to find donors and transfer blood efficiently, resulting in unnecessary suffering and loss of animal lives.
Initiatives like SAFI address this issue by establishing blood banks and facilitating the transfer of necessary blood types to various pet hospitals. With 12 different blood types for dogs, immediate access to a diverse range of blood types in animal hospitals is essential.
Establishing more blood banks can significantly reduce the time and cost of saving animals, benefiting not just the animals in shelters but also those in various veterinary clinics and shelters across the country. This project relies on pet owners and animal enthusiasts’ support and contributions. By enrolling your pet as a blood donor, you can help save lives and improve the health and wellness of needy pets.
Promote the message, enroll your pet, and join this rescue effort. Together, we can ensure no pet endures pain due to a lack of available blood. This collaborative effort will help build a brighter future for pets requiring assistance. United, we have the power to make a significant impact and save countless animal lives.
Author Bio
Abhay is a dedicated dog lover and works avidly for DogExpress. He has trained and adopted stray dogs. With an extensive knowledge of dog breeds, he aims to excel as a writer and dog trainer.
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