A special blood bank for dogs has been set up in Ludhiana, Punjab at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU). It should be noted that this is the first blood bank for dogs in North India. The blood bank was established after the Department of Biotechnology approval in order to improve the survival chances of dogs.
Dr. Shukriti Sharma of GADVASU, said, “We handle at least 25,000 cases every year. Of which, 500-600 cases have low hemoglobin (protein) level in dogs. In one of the cases here, the blood level dropped down to three grams. We had to transfuse blood and the level rose to seven grams.”
Take a look at the facility and some of its patients:
Punjab: A blood bank has been set up for dogs at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Ludhiana. Dr Shukriti Sharma, GADVASU, says, “We handle at least 25,000 cases every year. Of which, 500-600 cases have low haemoglobin level in dogs." pic.twitter.com/kzxFCpgUXQ
— ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2020
“A total of 25 different states had applied for the approval of a blood bank for dogs. To this, the Department of Biotechnology has approved the establishment of only two blood banks, one in Chennai and the other here in Punjab.” the doctor added.
Sharma asserted that “Earlier, the blood of one dog was donated to the other. But with this blood bank facility, we separate the donated blood in three parts — Red Blood Cells (RBCs), plasma and platelets.”
He further added that the institute has conducted around 125 blood transfusions in dogs till now.
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