Calls for a national pet blood service made

Posted : 31-10-2007

Calls for a national pet blood service made

The establishment of a national pet blood service could save the lives of thousand of animals, according to leading vets.

Royal Veterinary College has stated that improvements would be made to animal welfare through the setting up of a national blood bank for cats and dogs.

Dan Brockman, a surgeon at the college hospital in Hatfield, told the Guardian: "If there's one thing that could have a huge impact on saving pets' lives, then this is it."

Owners of cats and dogs are also being encouraged to donate their pets' blood to allow increased numbers of transfusions to take place in procedures such as open-heart surgery and operations on animals that have been hit by vehicles.

Following a change in legislation in 2005, the charity Pet Blood Bank UK was set up, which is the first organisation of its kind to collect, process, store and distribute pet blood in the UK.

Veterinary procedures can quickly escalate in price and it may therefore be advisable for consumers to invest in comprehensive pet insurance to allow them to concentrate on helping their animals convalesce rather than worrying about expensive bills.


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