Cats may requirement blood transfusions for a range of reasons, such as trauma, surgery, cancer or contagious diseases. There are currently a number of animal blood banks in the United States, however because of the special nature of cats, feline blood products are much harder to find by than their canine counterparts.
In buy to be a blood donor, a feline needs to satisfy a number of criteria: they need to be indoor only, between 1 as well as 8 years of age, evaluate at least 10 pounds, not be on any type of medication as well as pass a number of different blood tests, including FeLV/FIV as well as a total blood count as well as chemistry. Unlike dogs, cats need to get type-specific blood, so they need to be blood typed. If a feline receives the wrong blood type, it can be life-threatening.
While lots of dogs can donate blood without being sedated, cats need sedation or anesthesia to donate blood, which makes a lot of feline guardians reluctant to offer their cats up as volunteer donor cats. Some veterinary hospitals will have a donor feline on the facilities to supply blood when needed.
Nine Lives Blood Services, the very first feline-only veterinary blood bank in the United States, found in Michigan, discovered an ingenious option for this dilemma. They utilize screened donor cats from regional shelters. The cats are cared for by nine Lives Blood services up until they discover a long-term home. As a result, this service is not just saving the lives of the cats who will get these life saving blood products, however likewise the lives of shelter cats.
Alice Parr, LVT, one of the technicians at nine Lives Feline Blood Bank, shared one of their success stories with me. Maggie, a nine-year-old Persian, had a life endangering anemia, a lot of likely because of an autoimmune problem. The emergency center in Maryland, where she was being treated, might not find any type of type B blood, which is what Maggie needed. Maggie’s guardians went online, as well as discovered nine Lives Feline Blood Services.
They called the blood bank about 7am. nine Lives Blood services had the right blood, acquired from one of their donor cats, on a airplane to Washington, DC, by 11am. Maggie’s guardians had to battle D.C. rush hour web traffic to pick the blood up at the airport, however it got to Maggie in time. Maggie is now on steroids to suppress her overactive immune system, as well as she is doing well.
Thanks to two devoted feline guardians, the lifesaving services of nine online Feline Blood services as well as their donor cats, as well as a skilled veterinary team in the Maryland center where Maggie was being treated, Maggie only utilized up one of her nine lives.
Visit the nine Lives Blood services web site for a lot more information.
Has your feline got a transfusion? would you think about a transfusion if your feline needed one?
Photos of donor cats by nine Lives Blood Services, utilized with permission.
Ingrid King
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10 comments on Feline Blood bank saves Lives
Christina says:
November 6, 2013 at 11:31 am
Last year my 13 year old feline who was dying of cancer needed a blood transfusion as well as got it from one of the vet tech’s cats. It provided me one more few weeks to state goodbye, as well as I haven’t stopped believing about that donor cat. I am so grateful for the additional time I had with my boy! If there’s a kitty blood bank right here in South Florida, I would take my present cats to donate as well as provide somebody else’s kitty a bit a lot more time!
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Safepethaven says:
November 6, 2013 at 10:14 am
About 17 years back my Teddy [RIP] had to get two transfusions post-surgery needed for serious megacolon. The lifesaving blood was contributed by one of the center kitties at my DVM’s office. Izuma may have had a track record as a “difficult” cat, however she definitely had peppy blood! It provided Teddy an additional eleven years he wouldn’t have had otherwise.
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Kathy says:
November 6, 2013 at 10:09 am
I never understood about this type of service. I may have to look into this to assist out. I have two cats who must be fantastic for providing donations. exactly how frequently can you donate as well as is there a danger for my kitties? They both have been put under before to be fixed without any problems however is it risk-free to put them under over as well as over again?
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Ingrid says:
November 6, 2013 at 11:01 am
There’s always some danger with anesthesia, Kathy. It’s finest to go over this with your veterinarian.
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karen says:
Onull