I wish to offer the following information pertaining to blood donations for animals. We fully understand the very difficult situation attempting to get blood donations for our animals, it is difficult enough to find people to donate their blood for other humans. However, our cooperation in Bangalore, along with Cessna Lifeline Pet Hospital, India, will give animal lovers the opportunity to donate canine or feline blood.
Picture Courtesy : https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33108612
We are hoping to create an infrastructure whereby a possibility, and location, will allow animal lovers in the Bangalore area to help save many animals who, without blood donations, would otherwise perish.
Led by Anurag and Volunteers they hope to collect blood from healthy pets for victims of hit-and-run cases, especially dogs and cat, or suffering from tick-fever, plus many other ailments because blood donations and transfusions are their only hope of survival.
There are no special requirements for your pets, they only need to be healthy and without past traumatic experiences. If you have such pets, they can become donors. The general criteria is, dogs should generally weigh over 25 kgs and cats, 4 kgs.
Street dogs with whom you are familiar with, and fit the required criteria are also acceptable for donating blood. Small dogs who fall under this weight category, but would like to be donors, can check with a trusted vet in the case of donating to puppies instead of larger dogs.
However, they must be aged between 1-8 years.
Pet Protocol
A Complete Blood Count and physical check-up. Screening for infectious and systemic diseases. Regular vaccinations to boost your pet’s immunity, which also helps tremendously during blood transfusions. Blood typing to know your pet’s blood type- this is a one-time process for some cases
Why is it important for your pets to donate blood?
When humans become extremely ill, or are involved in accidents, they have many medical options on offer to recover, sadly animals have very limited options. Just a one-off donation can help save the lives of animals involved in accidents or have serious illnesses.
Anurag is hoping to create a blood bank for pets and animals, a unique situation because this very important factor has been ignored by humans and he hopes to help those ‘living beings’ who sadly do not have a voice.
Kelly Johnson, Bangalore.
PS: Remember, when you take a decision to donate, you not only save someone else’s pet, but you are also spreading this important information to others that animals need a blood bank too!