Since its establishment in 2020, the UWI blood bank has been able to provide one blood transfusion per week to canine patients.
When we think about blood drives, we think about an emergency resource for people in need. But pets need blood too.
To meet that need, the School of Veterinary Medicine Blood Bank for Small Animals ha
s set its sights on providing blood for all canines in the country.“We would like to supply the vets of Trinidad with blood,” said Dr Ansarah Hosein, Assistant Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine and founder of the blood bank at the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Since its establishment in 2020, the UWI blood bank has been able to provide one blood transfusion per week to canine patients. However, Dr Hosein said that the blood supply is not able to meet current demand.
Many canine patients that enter the blood bank suffered physical injury such as vehicular accident. A recent study conducted by Dr Hosein and The UWI showed that blood transfusions helped most dogs survive, buying time for treatment of their underlying illness.
“I think many people don’t realise that dogs and animals get the same diseases that require the same sort of treatments that we need,” said Dr Sabrina Thomas, Lecturer of Small Animal Medicine.
The School of Veterinary Medicine is seeking to increase blood donations through incentives such as free blood testing, vaccination and deworming for regular donors. They are expanding its reach through social media and collaborating with SEWA International TT for their 6K Fun Run on June 28 where people will be running alongside their dogs to promote the blood bank.
It should be noted though that apart from being healthy and vaccinated, when screening patients that they look for large breed dogs with good temperament to be donors.
Dr Hosein stated, “Sometimes one pint of blood can save two or three lives depending on the size of the patient.”
For more information on the School of Veterinary Blood Bank and opportunities to donate blood, email: STA-FMS-SVMBloodBank@sta.uwi.edu
