8
P RETORIA N EWS W EEKEND February 14, 2015
Go Pet Care
thegoodweekend
Raising lifesaving pets
Like humans, they also need blood transfusions at some time and a donation by yours could save a life
SISTER IJANA MACLEAN
B
LOOD saves lives – not
only in humans but in
animals too. Your pet could
easily and with very little
discomfort become a
canine blood donor and lifesaver.
Dogs need transfusions for
trauma; bite wounds or injuries
after accidents, where massive
haemorrhage has occurred, surgery
with bleeding but most commonly
dogs need transfusions for diseases
such as biliary fever, liver disease,
septicaemia and if they have eaten
rat poison and have clotting
deficiencies.
Dogs are different from humans
in that, although they do have
specific blood types, they will not
react to an incompatible
transfusion the first time round.
If they receive a transfusion of a
blood type different from their own,
they will develop antibodies to this
as they would to a vaccine.
This process takes about three
weeks. Thereafter this blood type is
set in their immune systems
memory as a “foreign” substance
and a reaction will be mounted
against it on re-exposure.
The most severe reaction is
against a specific blood type DEA1.1
and the entire transfusion is
destroyed within 12 hours.
This can be harmful to the
patient and is wasteful. This means
that all blood donors should
preferably be DEA1.1 negative.
DEA negative blood can be given
to any dog with very little risk of a
transfusion reaction. DEA 1.1
positive blood should only be given
to DEA 1.1 positive dogs to prevent
sensitisation.
In the general dog population
and in the crossbreed population,
about 47 percent of dogs are DEA1.1
positive. Specific breeds do,
however, have distinct differences.
German Shepherd dogs, Boxers
and Dalmatians are generally DEA
1.1 negative – they make good blood
donors.
Great Danes, Boerboels and
Rottweilers are more likely to be
DEA1.1 positive and thus not ideal
donors.
Besides being DEA 1.1 negative,
the ideal blood donor is a large
breed dog over 27kg in weight.
The amount of blood in a dog is
about 8 percent of its lean body
weight so a 20kg dog has about 1.6l
of blood. A unit of blood (450ml) is
collected with each donation – too
much blood for a smaller dog.
Dogs heavier than 50kg can
easily donate two units at a time.
Dogs can safely donate every six
to eight weeks and not develop any
type of anaemia. The blood
collection bags are the same as
those used by human blood
transfusion services.
Sister Ijana Maclean
Because the blood collected is
kept in a sterile container and isn’t
exposed to the environment, it is
called a closed collection system.
Blood is collected from the
jugular vein after clipping and
surgically prepping the area.
Most dogs become used to the
procedure and do not even require
sedation. In many cases, the owners
assist in keeping them recumbent.
The process takes about five
minutes and dogs do not show any
“light-headedness” after donating.
After the blood is collected, it
undergoes various processes.
Whole blood is when the blood is
collected into a single bag with a
preservative and an anticoagulant.
Blood can also be separated into red
blood cells and plasma.
This is a more effective way of
utilising the product. The red blood
cells are mixed with a preservative
and used for diseases like biliary.
The plasma which contains all
the proteins and clotting factors
contained in blood is used in liver
disease, septicaemias, parvo-virus
diarrhoea and Rattex poisonings.
The whole blood and packed red
blood cells can be stored for four
weeks in the fridge whereas plasma
is frozen at -20°C and can be stored
for up to four years.
Cats also receive blood
transfusions. Most blood donor cats
are in-house practice donors as they
have to be tested to be free of the
viruses FeLV and FIV. Because only
small amounts of blood (50 ml) are
collected from each cat donation,
the blood is immediately transfused
into the patient.
The collection system in cats
involves needles and syringes and is
classified as an “open collection
system” which predisposes it to
bacterial contamination – another
reason their blood is not stored.
If you are interested in letting
your pet become a blood donor,
contact your vet or the Farm Road
Animal Blood Bank at 012 991 3573
for details. Our donors and their
owners are rewarded for their time
and bravery. Your pet can save a life
by just donating some blood.
Dogs can encounter a reaction against incompatible blood types in a blood transfusion.
THIS pet care column is brought to you
by Valley Farm Animal Hospital in
Pretoria, one of the biggest veterinary
practices in South Africa.
In addition to general veterinary
care they offer a 24-hour on-site
veterinary team for emergencies and inpatient monitoring. They have a
comprehensive in-house laboratory,
well-equipped operating theatre and a
high care ward for critical patients with
dedicated nursing staff.
Their digital X-ray machine,
ultrasound and video endoscope are
used to aid full diagnostic work-ups on
sick patients.
Additional services offered are
stemcell therapy for arthritic pets,
dentistry and acupuncture and they
have a specialist physician on staff.
Send any questions regarding your
pet to [email protected].
You can also visit
www.valleyfarmvet.co.za for more
information or like us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/vfah.info
Saving animals one by one in the Frozen Zoo
SAPA-AP
WHENEVER an endangered
animal dies at the San Diego Zoo,
researchers race out, regardless of
the hour, to remove its sperm or
eggs, maybe a bit of ear or eyeball,
and carefully freeze the cells in
liquid nitrogen.
Today, the survival of the
northern white rhinoceros and
dozens of other species could hinge
on the collection amassed over
nearly 40 years that has become the
largest gene bank of its kind: The
Frozen Zoo.
The icy vials may one day be
used in experiments to resurrect
recently extinct animals, like the
Hawaiian Po’ouli bird. The
stainless steel tanks hold the
genetic material of more than
10 000 individual animals.
The Frozen Zoo’s work has taken
on renewed urgency since the San
Diego Safari Park lost 42-year-old
Angalifu to cancer in December.
Tobi, a cocker Spaniel, vies for his owner’s attention during a cycle race.
Cocker Spaniels are born with long tails and as part of the breed standard,
their tails were often docked which is an emotive topic. PICTURE: STEVE LAWRENCE
Q&A
Q: Why does my Basset eat my
cat’s pooh from the litter tray? –
Cornelius
A: Because it’s tasty! Cats’ diets
are high in protein and so are their
poop. Protein along with fat and
salt is what makes a food tasty.
Cleaning the mess directly after
your cat has pooped may stop this
practice.
Q: My Dad had Rottweilers
when I was a child and now I
want to buy a puppy but they
all have long tails. I thought
they were born with short tails
but the breeder tells me they
used to be docked and now it is
illegal? – Ian
A: Yes, Rottweilers, like Jack
Russell terriers, Spaniels and
other breeds are born with long
tails. As part of the breed
standard, the tails of the +/- 3-dayold old puppies are cut off to leave
just a short tail.
This is a very emotive topic
with the majority of people today
arguing against the practice.
It started in working breeds to
prevent the tail from being injured
and carried over as a cosmetic
procedure and breed standard in
up to 50 breeds.
No anaesthetic was used, the
tails were just tied to prevent them
from bleeding and then cut with a
pair of scissors. Some were
stitched over so they healed neater
while others were just left.
Obviously this caused pain and
distress to the pups.
In 2008, the SA Veterinary
Council and the SPCA agreed they
would no longer condone the
practice and vets were advised to
no longer dock tails. Although
very few breeders still dock tails,
the majority now allow their dogs
to grow up with their tails.