Appeal after Faygate vet’s pet dog saves the life of a desperately-ill terrier

Blood from a Faygate vet’s pet labrador helped save the life of a poorly terrier.
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Veterinary surgeon Rob Reynolds donated blood from his pet black lab when the life of the Tibetan terrier - named Yoko - hung in the balance.

Fast action and the transfusion led to a full recovery for Yoko and now vets are hoping that more dogs will help others this Christmas.

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A blood donor day for dogs - the first of its kind - is to be held at Medivet 24 Hour Faygate - at Seers Croft Veterinary Surgery, Tower Road, Faygate - on December 19.

Yoko - her life was saved with a blood transfusion from a Faygate vet's pet labrador SUS-191213-121041001Yoko - her life was saved with a blood transfusion from a Faygate vet's pet labrador SUS-191213-121041001
Yoko - her life was saved with a blood transfusion from a Faygate vet's pet labrador SUS-191213-121041001

The vets want to ensure there are enough emergency blood supplies for pets over the Christmas period.

A spokesman said: “Dogs can need blood transfusions during surgery or following an accident.

“They have different blood types, just like humans, which means veterinary practices need a variety of breeds to donate.”

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The team at Medivet 24 Hour Faygate recently helped three dogs needing blood transfusions – including the Tibetan terrier whose life was saved by a donation from vet Rob Reynolds’ own labrador.

The patient - Yoko - needed a transfusion after tests showed her red blood count had dropped to dangerous levels and she stopped eating.

Her desperate owners feared the worst after discovering Yoko had a rare blood type – but blood donated by Rob’s dog proved a near-enough match.

“Time was really against us and there was a chance Yoko would reject the blood,” said veterinary surgeon Esperanza Montaner who carried out the transfusion on Yoko.

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“Thankfully, Yoko made a full recovery but would not have survived if we hadn’t been able to find suitable blood in time.

“However, if she ever needs a blood transfusion again, she will need it from the same blood type donor.”

The vets say that the donation process is quick and is no more painful than an injection.

The blood donor day is to be held on December 19 and will be run by Medivet’s in-house blood donation service, VetBlood - a not-for-profit organisation which saves lives of seriously ill dogs by supplying blood products to veterinary practices throughout the country.

Dog owners interested in attending or wanting to find out more can contact practice manager Mandy Tyrell on 01293 851122.

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