EDMONTON, Alberta, Feb. 25, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a release issued under the same headline on February 22nd, 2015 by VetEmerg, please note that the contact phone number should be 1-780-423-9111, not 1-888-667-5235 as previously stated. The corrected release follows:
Veterinarian Dr. Mohamed Abdel Latif of VetEmerg – North Edmonton Emergency Veterinary Hospital is urging pet owners with healthy pets to donate blood for their pet blood donor program. According to Dr. Latif, their patients often desperately need blood transfusions during surgery or treatment for traumatic injuries, anemia, poisonings, parvovirus and other emergencies. The animal hospital maintains a pet blood bank that healthy pets can provide donations for every 56 days. Before donating, pets are thoroughly tested to make sure they meet certain health requirements. Interested pet owners should contact the hospital to schedule testing and donation appointments.
"Healthy pets donating blood literally save the lives of pets in serious trouble every day here at our hospital," says Dr. Latif. "And you never know when your pet may need to be the recipient of an emergency blood transfusion. Families with pets that have had life-saving transfusions always express gratitude to us, and they want us to extend their thanks to all those pets who are blood donors too."
Blood donor pets must meet certain health criteria, explains Dr. Latif. He says they first need to be between the ages of one and six. They must not be on any medications except for routine de-worming, heartworm and flea and tick prevention, and they must never have been recipients of blood transfusions in the past. Dogs will be tested to make sure they are devoid of heartworm infection, particularly if they have ever traveled outside of Alberta. Cats will be tested to make sure they are FeLV/FIV negative. All female blood donor pets need to have been spayed and never have experienced a pregnancy.
Dr. Latif says that if a pet fits these criteria, they will be given a full examination and blood test; if they pass, they can be signed up to be part of the pet blood donor program. Pets can give blood up to six times a year. During donation, pets will be sedated so they remain calm and comfortable. They will also be given fluids and a healthy snack to help them recover from the procedure quickly. According to Dr. Latif, the donation process lasts about 10-15 minutes, and pets can come home after a few hours.
"The procedure isn't painful for the pet because of the sedation, and your pet will literally be a hero to other pets and their families," says Dr. Latif. "We are always in need of healthy blood donor pets." He urges pet owners with healthy pets to visit their website to schedule testing.
VetEmerg – North Edmonton Emergency Veterinary Hospital handles pet emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays when a pet's regular veterinarian may not be available. To learn more, visit the website at http://vetemerg.com.