Plea for blood donors to help save lives of Northamptonshire pets

Northlands Veterinary Group is launching its own blood donor register and is compiling a list of suitable donors.

Donors on the register may be called into one of the group’s veterinary surgeries if a seriously ill patient needs a transfusion.

To add their names to the donor list, owners are invited to bring their pets to a blood typing session, where dogs and cats will be given a health check and a small blood sample will be taken to determine their blood type.

A blood typing day for canine donors will take place on Saturday 6th April from 1pm-5pm at Northlands Corby on George Street, and a typing session for feline donors will be held at The Cat & Rabbit Care Clinic on Southfield Road, Northampton, on Sunday 14th April between 10am and 2pm.

Sarah Lane, Northlands Veterinary Group’s Head Nurse, said pet blood donors are unsung heroes who can save the lives of seriously ill cats and dogs.

Sarah said: “Dogs or cats that have been injured, for example in a road accident, or who may be suffering from a disease which destroys their red blood cells, may need a blood transfusion. We are looking for owners who will be happy to have their pet’s name placed on our database and be called on if we have a patient in need. If a pet needs a transfusion, we’ll ask for donor pets to be brought into our hospital in Kettering and we will be able to perform a blood transfusion straight away.”

Border Collie Harle’s life was saved by a blood transfusion at Northlands Veterinary Hospital. Harle was rushed to the hospital when he became seriously ill in November. The usually lively Collie had become extremely lethargic, went off his food and was passing black faeces and vomiting up blood.

Tests showed he was suffering from a gastrointestinal bleed and his red blood cell count was dangerously low. Harle needed a blood transfusion to replace the red blood cells that the condition had killed off.

After receiving the transfusion, Harle was nursed around the clock by the Northlands Veterinary Hospital team and he has made a full recovery.

Sarah said: “Harle was really poorly and the blood transfusion was the best option for saving his life. Anyone who is able to add their pet to the donor register will be doing an amazing thing, and they could save another pet’s life like Harle’s.”

She added that suitable blood donors should be fit and healthy and have not previously received a blood transfusion themselves. They should also:-

• Be aged between one and eight years old.• Weigh more than 25kg (dogs) and 4kg (cats).• Have a good temperament and be happy being handled.• Have never travelled outside of the UK.• Not on any medication

Owners can drop in to the blood typing sessions, but can register their interest by emailing [email protected], calling 01536 485 543 or visiting the practice’s event pages on social media.