A veterinary surgeon’s dog saved the life of a Tibetan Terrier named Yoko by donating blood to him.
Yoko was not taking any food, and her red blood cell levels were dangerously low. The pooch was in urgent need of a blood transfusion.
The owners got really worried when they came to know that the blood type of their pooch is very rare. The worries of the owners were not baseless. Yoko could not have been able to survive if a timely arrangement of suitable blood had not been made.
The veterinary surgeon Rob Reynolds checked the blood of his own black Labrador and found it to be a close-enough match. The required amount of blood was taken from the Labrador and was transfused into the Terrier.
Time was running out for Yoko, and there was also a chance that Yoko’s body might reject the new blood being transfused into the pooch. However, no complications were encountered, and the dog made a full recovery because of timely action and also due to the availability of suitable blood for transfusion.
Dogs can get into a situation after an accident or during surgery where blood transfusions are required to save their lives. Like humans, dogs also have different blood types, and therefore blood from different breeds of dogs is needed in veterinary practice.
The vets say that the blood donation process for canines is simple and is not painful at all. The donor dog has to endure just the same kind of minimal pain while having an injection.
Some veterinary clinics and facilities arrange blood donation day for canines regularly. These events aim to not only have a stock of different canine blood types but also supply it to veterinary practices across the country as per need. People who own dogs are encouraged to visit the veterinary facilities and get their dogs to donate some blood to help their fellow canines.
Image source: WS County Times