Page 5 - Paws and Hooves - Spring 2024

DID YOU
KNOW?

All about blood

The RVC’s Blood Donor Programme is Packed red blood cells (PRBC) – these
vital to the everyday functioning of our are often used in patients who are anaemic
hospital, enabling our diverse services due to lack of production or destruction of
and specialised care. their own red cells or blood loss. PRBC can
quickly restore a patient’s red blood cell
The blood from our donors can be
separated into different components. count, allowing more oxygen to travel around
This means we can ensure each patient the body.
gets exactly what they need and we can Fresh frozen plasma – this is rich in clotting
even split units for smaller patients. factors and helps patients with a wide range
By reducing wastage every donation of clotting problems as well as those with
has a greater impact. For example, critical illness.

one unit of whole Frozen plasma – this is used if patients
require additional protein support or have
blood can help up been intoxicated with certain pesticides.

to five dogs. Plasma can be frozen for up to five years.
Serum eye drops – these are used by our
Ophthalmology Service to treat patients with
Our blood donations can be used for: severe eye ulcers which are not healing.
Fresh whole blood – this is used in patients Cryoprecipitate – available for
requiring all the components of blood to our canine patients suffering from
support them through their condition. haemophilia and other diseases
preventing normal blood clotting.

FELINE CANINE

BLOOD FACTS BLOOD FACTS

• Cats are type A, B or AB • The most important canine blood
type is DEA 1
• Giving a cat the wrong blood type can
result in a fatal transfusion reaction • Most dogs in the UK are DEA 1 and can
take positive or negative blood
• Most cats are Type A
• Around 40% are DEA 1 negative
• Only 10-15% of cats are Type B
• You can give a DEA 1 negative dog
• Around 2% of cats are AB
DEA 1 positive red blood cells but they
won’t last as long as if you had given
DEA 1 negative cells

Nesto before and after receiving
serum eye drops to treat an ulcer

Our blood donor heroes vary hugely, not only in blood type, but also in their breed,
appearance, and personality. Whatever blood type they are, we make sure they all have Dottie, a blood serum donor
one thing in common – that they are comfortable and happy to give blood.
P&H SPRING 2024 5