Western suburbs residents are being encouraged to register their pets as blood donors as pet blood supplies reach “critical levels”.
The Greencross Veterinary Hospital at the University of Melbourne’s Werribee site put out the call last week as supplies across the network of speciality and emergency hospitals dwindled.
Vets use blood products to treat patients with many life-threatening conditions, such as severe blood loss from trauma, rat bait toxicity, and some immune-mediated diseases and infectious diseases.
Like human hospitals, veterinary hospitals rely on blood donor programs to ensure quick access to safe blood for critical patients who need life-saving blood transfusions.
Greencross Veterinary Hospital emergency and critical care specialist and clinical director Liam Donaldson said the hospital is in desperate need of blood donations.
“Just as we rely on blood donations, pets also need their fellow furry friends to be blood donors and our supplies are running extremely low. We are now at a point where we need to make difficult decisions in terms of which patients receive blood products – as an emergency vet this is a choice we never ever want to be forced to make,” Dr Donaldson said.
“Unfortunately, with our blood donor program containing such low reserves, and given the current situation, blood transfusions for pets cannot be guaranteed. Without urgent blood donations, many of our patients will be left in a dire situation.
“Accessing blood on short notice is not always possible for a couple of reasons – firstly because pets don’t have a national blood bank like we do for humans, and secondly dogs and cats can only donate so much blood at one time. By having a group of willing donors on call, we can ensure that we have ample supply for when our pets and clients need it the most.”
Dr Donaldson encourages pet owners with a healthy dog or cat to consider registering their pet as a blood donor.
Pets must meet specific criteria to enrol to be a blood donor. Dog blood donors must weigh over 23 kilograms, be between one and five years old, be up-to-date with all vaccinations, worming and external parasite control, be in good health and have never received a blood transfusion.
Cat blood donors must be of a larger build and weigh over 4kg be aged between one and five years, be up-to-date with vaccinations, worming and external parasite control, be in good health and have never received a blood transfusion.
Details: 8721 1414
