India's First Blood Bank For Dogs

[Maxiewolf]

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/OddSpot/20...ogs_456459.html

Veterinarians in the southern city of Chennai are looking for donors after opening India's first blood bank for dogs.

Dr P Thangaraju from Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University said 28 owners had already registered their dogs for donation and a black Labrador was the first through the doors when the facility opened.

'Our university has become the first university in Asia, after the US and UK, to start the blood bank,' the vice chancellor said, adding that eight varieties of dog blood had been identified.

'We will need more donors to get blood in all eight varieties,' he added.

Owning pets is a growing trend in India, but reserved exclusively for the middle classes and wealthy, who can afford animal food and veterinary bills.

Dogs aged between one and eight years old will be eligible to donate a maximum of four times a year at the centre in Chennai.

[Gilypoo]

My Girls are both blood donnors at my vets... They havent been needed yet which is a good thing I guess.

People just assume dogs dont need extra blood.

[spottychick]

That's so cool!!!

[Miz J]

My boxers are on call blood donors for our vet, they havn't donated yet. Your quite correct JS they have to be over 20kg, healthy and currently on heartworm prevention. It's mainly for the dogs on chemo who do need transfusions. Only too happy to help other dogs who need blood. I don't believe there is a blood bank for dogs in SA so thats why they are "on call"

Edited May 3, 2010 by Miz J