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| A BLOOD BANK FOR DOGS? I’D LIKE TO HELP WITH THAT! |
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Have you ever wondered what happens when a dog needs a transfusion?
Many will receive blood from a donor at the University of Melbourne's Canine Blood Bank at Werribee. However, supplies are at a critically low level and they are in urgent need of financial support and additional volunteers.
The Canine Blood Bank is the only one of its kind in Australia, with both resident and out-patient blood donors. Part of the University's Veterinary Clinic and Hospital, the Blood Bank collected more than 400 packs of blood last year. Most of these packs were used at Emergency Clinics in Melbourne. Some were dispatched to other veterinary practices around Australia, as far afield as Townsville, Broome, Perth and Hobart.
The Blood Bank needs to at least double its output, to keep pace with demand for blood and plasma products for the treatment of various diseases in pet dogs. This can only be done with your assistance.
Who makes a good donor?
Larger dogs (over 25 kg), between one and eight years of age, in good health and with a friendly nature are excellent blood donors. |
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What is involved?
The blood collection procedure is very similar to that for people, except that the jugular vein (the one in the neck) is used, rather than the one in the arm. A patch of hair over this area must be clipped and disinfected. (The hair will grow back!) The dog must lie quietly on its side for about 15 minutes, while the pack of blood (450 ml) is collected. Blood donations can be made every 3 months.
What happens to the blood?
After collection, the pack is spun in a large centrifuge to separate the red blood cells from the plasma (the fluid portion of blood).
The red blood cells may be stored for up to 6 weeks in a refrigerator and are used to treat various anaemias, especially following trauma. The plasma is frozen and may be stored for up to 12 months. It is used to treat disorders of blood clotting, such as von Willebrand disease (which is common in Dobermanns) and haemophilia A (which is seen occasionally in various breeds), and in dogs poisoned by rat baits. It is also used to treat other conditions where the concentration of proteins in the blood are reduced, as a result of diseases of body organs, such as the liver and kidney.
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What can you do to help?
The Canine Blood Bank is in urgent need of more volunteer dogs and of financial support to enable expansion of this vital service.
Join Sam and Tahni to help increase the pet dog donor population from the present 50 volunteers to at least 200.
To make collections easier, in addition to the University's Clinic in Werribee, donations are now possible at a number of sites around Melbourne, including: Burke Rd Vet Clinic (Hawthorn), Cardinia Veterinary Clinic (Pakenham), Greensborough Veterinary Clinic, High Street Rd. Animal Hospital (Mt. Waverley), Karingal Vet Hospital (Frankston), Mont Albert Veterinary Clinic, Moonee Valley Animal Hospital, Mt Evelyn Veterinary Clinic, Patterson River Vet Clinic (Carrum), and RowvilleVeterinary Clinic.
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| Further Information |
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If you are interested in finding out more about the Canine Blood Bank and its out-patient donor program, or if you are able to assist financially with this very worthwhile project, please contact:
Dr Cathy Deague
Registrar, Canine Blood Bank
Veterinary Clinic and Hospital (uVet)
The University of Melbourne
250 Princes Hwy
Werribee VIC 3030
Phone: 03 9731 2328
Fax: 03 9731 2377
Email: k9-bloodbank@unimelb.edu.au Donations to The University of Melbourne are tax deductible.
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| Last Update: 06/02/07 09:33 |
Views: 2938 |
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