> From: pkmartin at netcom.com ("Stock up and save. Limit one.")
> Subject: Animals and Blood Types
> Date: Fri, 29 Dec 1995 18:39:49 GMT
>> ok. so I've looked in "Fundamental Immunology" and "Cellular and
> Molecular Immunology" for the answer to this one and cant find it, so
> here goes:
>> a colleague of mine said that he heard a story on the news involving a
> lcal veterinary hospital and a "donor cat", which was well cared for
> and served to "donate" blood for surgeries. he asked whether animals
> have blood types (sounds like a loaded question to me, so be patient
> in your replies...). a local vet told him that such procedures are
> rarely done, but he never really answered the question.
In addition to the other posts on this subject: my understanding is that
dogs, in particular, have 26 blood types. There is at least one dog blood
type that is general--kind of an umbrella blood type. This blood type can
be transfused into dogs of other blood types without causing reactions.
Some vets do keep a donor dog of this blood type on the premises, usually
when the animal has been abandoned by other owners. Sometimes, the
vet discovers a client's pet (must be a large dog, btw) with that particular
blood type. In this case, if the dog is large, such as an Akita, the vet may
ask the client to allow his/her dog to become a blood donor for other,
critical patients. A small/medium dog with the general blood type is not
a suitable donor because, of course, the amount of blood required for
most surgeries is beyond a small animal's capacity to donate and sustain
its own life/health.
Hope this helps.
- Tara K. Harper
until at teleport.com
/ Even a thought /
/ Even a possibility can shatter us and transform us /
/ - Nietzsche /
