Oakham Veterinary Hospital in Ashwell Road to host donation sessions with Loughborough-based Pet Blood Bank UK
One dog's blood could help save the lives of up to four others as part of a donation scheme.
Dog owners are being encouraged to take their pets to a blood bank at Oakham Veterinary Hospital in Ashwell Road.
The donation sessions are being held by Loughborough-based Pet Blood Bank UK, with the first one taking place on March 6.
A spokesperson for the charity said: “Every year the demand for blood is growing and with the help of our fantastic owners we want to ensure blood is always available for dogs in need.
“Every donation a dog makes can help to save the lives of up to four other dogs.
“Together, all our lifesavers help to save thousands of lives every year.
For a dog to be a blood donor, they must meet certain criteria such as being aged between one and eight-years-old, weigh more than 25kg and not be on medication.
The donation process in full takes about 40 minutes - between five to 10 minutes of which involves the taking of 450ml of blood.
After their donation, dogs get ‘tea and biscuits’, which is a drink of water and a snack, and a goody bag to take home.
Dogs need blood in many instances, from emergencies to illnesses, and the donations have helped to save the lives of many pets.
Just like humans, dogs have different blood types, positive and negative, and transfusions are given based on this.
Negative blood is in high demand as this can be given to any dog in an emergency while positive blood can only be given to other positive patients.
Nicole Osborne from Pet Blood Bank UK said, ‘We are looking forward to meeting lots of new donors and really getting the local community behind our mission to help save the lives of dogs across the country.
“We would love to hear from anyone interested in finding out more or coming along to our session at Oakham Veterinary Hospital on Thursday, March 6.”
Pet Blood Bank UK plans to visit Oakham every two to three months.
To find out more or register your dog visit: https://www.petbloodbankuk.org.
Would you want your dog to donate? Let us know in the comments.
