Mikey is a gorgeous 8 year old Bichon Frise. He is well know for his lively attitude and his fabulous coat, which his owner Ashling takes great pride in. He arrived at The Animal Hospital collapsed and barely able to move. His mucous membrane colour was a shocking pale. This indicated that for some reason , Mikeys blood level had dropped to an alarming low and he would certainly need a blood transfusion or he would not survive.

Our first obstacle was finding a dog blood donor as blood is not kept ready for use. This can often be hard as not many people are willing to sign their dogs up for this task. Have you ever wondered what would happen if your dog needed blood? Luckily one of our nurses brought her boxer dog in and after a light sedation , donated the much important blood needed for Mikey. Thank you very much Rocco!

At this point his blood cell levels were at 9%, which if not corrected can be fatal. The blood was immediately administered to Mikey. This has to be done very slowly and carefully to avoid any adverse reactions. There was a remarkable improvement very soon after receiving his blood. He was much brighter, alert and responsive. He went home with his owner later that night, with details for the pet emergency hospital. Luckily he did not have to go there , as he recovered well.

We don’t 100% know the cause of Mikeys problem, but we strongly suspect an autoimmune problem, were the body attacks its own blood cells. He has to stay on steroids now, to avoid an episode like this in the future. He was in for his check up this week and his blood levels are now at 35% , which is the low end of normal but he is doing great! Thanks to Roccos gift of blood, Mikey has lived to see another day.

This only highlights the need for more available blood donors to call on in an emergency. If you would like to enquire about registering your dog with us please contact the clinic. Please note

Blood donors must be ;

• In good health
• Under 7 years of age
• Over 25kg in weight
• Up to date with vaccinations
• No history of serious disease
• No history of receiving blood
• Not currently on any medication
• Must not have traveled outside of Ireland and the UK.
• Good temperament (nervous dogs are not ideal)

If your pet ticks all the right boxes, it would be a great help to be able to call upon them in a time of need.

Mikey – January Pet of The Month