Tamil Nadu varsity sets up blood bank for dogs

Here’s some good news for dog owners in Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (Tanuvas) has opened a blood bank for canines, a first in India. “This is a great step forward in veterinary medicine,” media professional and dog lover Ajith Rangachari said.

“It’s a great concept. Having a pet is no more just a hobby. People are starting to see them as part of the family. Awareness about keeping them healthy, too, is growing. I lost a Rajapalayam dog in an accident few years back. Timely blood donation could have saved his life,” he said.

Asked if this concept could be extended to other animals, Rangachari said, “Why not?   Every owner tries to take care of their pets in every possible way. And it involves not just dogs, but other animals as well. It would be great if it’s extended to other animals. It could greatly help increase their life span in case they need a blood transplant.”

“Our university is first in Asia to start the blood bank. We thought about setting up this facility [blood bank] because dogs need blood transfusions during surgeries, when they suffer from leukaemia, and during delivery when they suffer ruptures,” Tanuvas vice-chancellor P Thangaraju said.

“We thought it appropriate to launch it on World Veterinary Day, which is on the last Saturday of April. Blood transfusions are also needed whenever a dog suffers from ehrlicia canis, which is a cell-destroying infection. The blood bank was established at a cost of Rs10 lakh. The university has classified eight varieties of blood with Canine Erythrocyte Antigen, identified as universal donor,” Thangaraju said.

At Tanuvas, a black Labrador recently became the first blood donor. Dogs between the ages of one to eight can donate about four times a year. A dog weighing 20 kg can donate 300 ml blood at a time, about four times a year, the vice-chancellor said.

According to S Prathaban, Tanuvas’ director of clinics, about 200 dogs are brought to the hospital daily for treatment, some of whom have already donated blood. “Earlier, owners had to run here and there in search of donors. Now, we have 18 donors,” he said.

“We hope to get 100 donors by the year end. Having this blood bank means transfusions can be arranged at short notice. In the past week alone, we’ve done 10 transfusions. This facility can be extended to cats and  semi-domestic animals. The bank requires 50 donors to meet internal requirements. When we exceed the number, we can supply to other hospitals,” he said.