VetClick
Menu Menu
Login

VetClick

/ News
Thursday, 28th March 2024 | 4,176 veterinary jobs online | 102 people actively seeking work | 5,479 practices registered

Veterinary Industry News

Send us your news

Pet Blood Bank Urges Vets To Establish Blood Typing Protocols

15 years ago
2462 views

Posted
14th July, 2009 00h00


Pet Blood Bank UK nurse showing Nottingham University students the blood typing test at the recent launch of the mobile blood collection unit Pet Blood Bank UK nurse showing Nottingham University students the blood typing test at the recent launch of the mobile blood collection unit. In the UK, a soon to be published study of DEA (Dog erythrocyte antigen) 1.1 tests reveals that 60 percent of the dog population is DEA 1.1 positive; and 40 percent is DEA 1.1 negative. However, instead of blood typing and using type-matched blood, veterinary practices are ordering only negative blood for transfusing, unwittingly causing negative blood supplies to run low and underutilising available positive blood supplies. Currently only 25 percent of orders placed with Pet Blood Bank are for positive units, and with 60 percent of donors coming from the DEA 1.1 positive group, a valuable resource is not being fully utilised by practices. To encourage practices to make use of supplies of positive red blood cell supplies, Pet Blood Bank is offering a 20 percent discount on positive red blood cells throughout the months of July and August. To further assist practices in establishing a blood typing protocol, a 20 percent discount is also applicable to blood typing kits purchased during this time. “Blood typing is a simple process, and holding accurate records of blood type can save time in an emergency first time blood transfusion situation, ensuring that dogs are transfused rapidly with the correct blood”, says Jenny Walton BVM&S, MRCVS Veterinary Supervisor PBBuk. “Using DEA 1.1 typing alongside tests such as cross matching for patients requiring transfusions on different occasions allows for individual lifelong transfusion therapy to be planned and carried out as safely and scientifically as possible. Long term, it allows volunteer donation programmes such as PBBuk’s to take all donations offered to them and thus continue to supply growing demand in the most effective way.” Pet Blood Bank UK is a non profit-making organisation which exists to support the veterinary profession, providing emergency blood supplies to practices across the UK. Blood unit charges are set against the cost of running the service, and invested in ongoing research programmes. Vets are urged to establish good practice where blood typing is concerned in order that they can fully benefit from the service if the need arises. By blood typing canine patients as a matter of course, and ordering the correct blood, practices can help Pet Blood Bank to continue to provide an effective service to animals in need. For further details, please contact Pet Blood Bank on 01509 232 222, or visit the website www.petbloodbankuk.org.

More from


You might be interested in...