Blood donor pets are more than man's best friend - WLUK Fox 11

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Dogs, long known as loyal companions to humans, are increasingly coming to each other's aid - by giving their blood.

Rising demand has places like the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital seeking more dog and cat blood donors to keep up. Six years ago, they had three donors; now they have around 22 dogs and cats who donate blood regularly, said Dr. Jonathan Bach, who oversees the hospital's blood bank.

"Pets have moved generally from the backyard to the bedroom to some extent and with that (comes) greater need and expectation as far as level of care," Bach said.

The donors are sometimes former patients but mostly companions of students or staff members. Animals most often need the blood because of anemia, although the hospital does get animals who have suffered injuries or accidental poisonings.

Pat Kaufman, owner of Animal Blood Resources International in Dixon, Calif., estimated her organization provides 60 to 70 percent of the dog blood in the United States and about 90 percent of the cat blood. She said they've had a 10 percent increase in demand for dog blood during the past five years and 30 percent increase in cat blood - despite the recession.

Demand has grown steadily since her company started as one of the first animal blood banks 25 years ago, she said.

Back then, few universities taught their vet students about transfusions, people weren't buying insurance for their pets and there wasn't a supply of blood, Kaufman said. All those things have changed and have contributed to the increase in demand, she said. She said pet owners also know there are more options available.

"The people who take their dogs to the vets are willing to do more for them than they ever have been," Kaufman said.

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Associated Press writer Carrie Antlfinger contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/wisconsin/blood-donor-pets-are-more-than-mans-best-friend

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