Orange Grove Vet in conjunction with Dr Kenneth Joubert from VAACCS Blood Bank, hosted our first blood donation day on Friday 15 December 2017.
The day was a great success and we had eight super heroes ranging from German Shepherds, Labradors, cross breeds and a Boerboel, donating blood!
VAACCS (Veterinary Anaesthesia Analgesia and Critical Care Services ) provides an essential service to veterinarians, providing plasma, platelets & red blood cells which are extracted from blood through a special centrifuge process. These blood byproducts are used in different instances such as animals with severe anaemia or with parvo-virus where a great deal of blood is lost from the ilness.
Each dog was first given a health examination where their temperature, pulse, heart & respiration rates were checked, and even a quick look at dental examination was performed. The donor dog is given a mild sedation before the process begins to ensure he/she remain calm and still as possible. Depending on their weight, each of our dogs donated between 200 – 400ml of blood (with the dogs weight ranging between 20 & 50kg)!
Each dogs’ blood will be given free blood typing & a blood donor card identifying blood type (for dogs there are 7 blood types!). They also receive a free health check and screening for infectious diseases. Not forgetting to say thank you a voucher from Hill’s Pet Nutrition for R150 & a Pro Bono Biscuit from Orange Grove Vet!
Blood donors are hard to come by & Orange Grove Vet is fortunate to have wonderful clients and staff who allowed their dogs to be blood donors. Thank you to Skylar Louw, Twinkle Whitehouse, Higgs & Leyli Bradfield, Groucho & Toffee Mac William, Ella Pretorius & Harry Booth!
Orange Grove Vet will be hosting another blood donor day in the new year! If you are interested in your dog becoming a Super Hero Blood donor, contact us on 0117281371 or email candices@ogvh.co.za.
