Blood donation: my dog saved a life. One evening, my vet called me urgently:" Can you come urgently? We need blood to save another dog."Just like humans, dogs can donate blood to needy dogs. So we go to the veterinary office. In France, blood transfusion is quite rare. Every year many dogs and cats die for lack of available blood donations. The demand is immense and the stocks are insufficient.
Types of blood in dogs
There are 8 blood types in dogs. For a first transfusion, the dog can receive any type of blood. On the other hand, for the second, the veterinarian must perform tests to check the compatibility of the blood.
Blood donation in dogs
To determine your dog's blood type, it must be tested to see which antigens it contains. Your veterinarian will take a blood sample and perform a test. Not all veterinarians are able to perform these tests internally. The tests will check which antigens are present on the red blood cells that determine your dog's blood type.
Why should a dog need blood?
Just like humans, some dogs lose large amounts of blood. This could be due to illness, surgery, or trauma. Not all veterinarians can do this.
Transfusion in dogs. The video can be translated into German via youtube
If you have problems with the veterinarian, do not hesitate to take a look at this article: The 15 tips to properly educate your dog.