There is no dog blood bank in Yucatán, even though transfusions are frequently necessary to treat cases of anemia, hemorrhages, and infectious diseases, warned Eduardo Ávalos Borges, vice president of the State College of Veterinarians.
“Blood donation in dogs works the same as in humans: it is extracted from a donor and given to a patient in need,” the specialist explained.
Currently, veterinarians must seek donors among acquaintances or social networks, as there is no established infrastructure. However, not all dogs can be donors: they must be healthy, free of infectious diseases, and weigh at least 25 kilograms.
In Yucatán, blood parasites such as ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis rule out many potential donors. Although there has been an increase in the willingness of owners to allow their dogs to donate, medical conditions make it difficult.
About ten years ago, an attempt was made to create a blood bank in Mérida, but it failed due to high operating costs and a lack of donors. A unit of blood cost around 6,000 pesos, which caused rejection among pet owners.
“The project was started by someone who came from a human blood bank, but the cost of testing made the model unviable. It could be attempted again today if we learn from those mistakes,” said Ávalos.
Although transfusions aren’t performed daily, they are necessary. His clinic sees at least one case every two months. In areas with more accidents or illnesses, demand can be even higher.
“A dog can receive any blood type the first time, but if it needs multiple transfusions, it’s necessary to know its type, since dogs have seven different blood types,” the specialist explained.
“We’ve had cases where, due to the lack of an immediate donor, a dog ends up losing its life. Having a blood bank would prevent these situations,” he emphasized.
Finally, he called for the project to be resumed with new conditions, affordable costs, and a controlled canine donor registry, to ensure that no dog in Yucatán dies from lack of blood.
TYT Newsroom
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