(Courtesy Pet blood Bank UK)
Donating blood saves lives and that is why so many people roll up their arms to do so. But not all blood donors are human, some are canine. Sharwood, a Gordon setter, from the UK has recently given blood for the 40 th time. He is truly a hero.
Sharwood was so relaxed and comfortable about the procedure that he fell asleep and snored , reported the BBC. The blood he donated will be processed and then stored by the pet blood bank (PBB) until it is needed by vets for life-saving surgical procedures.
About the pet blood bank
The charity was set up in 2007, after the collection and storage of animal blood was allowed in the UK. When Sharwood gave blood on July 13, 2024, at the Northampton Vets4Pets, he reached this significant milestone. But this will be his last donation, at age eight, Sharwood is officially retired.
“Since then we've seen thousands of dogs and donors every year and Sharwood is the first to have done 40 donations which is just incredible,” marketing manager Nicole Osborne told the BBC.
The donors must weigh at least 25 kg, be in good health, and be between the ages of one and eight. The dogs are all given a pre-donation health check by a veterinarian before they are allowed to give blood. If approved, they are taken to the donation room and given, “lots of positive reinforcement,” Osborne said. “We have dogs that have been [here] before and they come in through the door so excited because they'll be given lots of treats and cuddles.”
Sharwood has always been very relaxed and calm about giving blood. This is probably because he was a show dog and used to being handled and groomed.
Sharwood’s blood has already helped save the lives of 160 dogs, according to a news release from PBB. He comes from a long line of blood donors and collectively, he and his family have given over 97 units of blood.
“As the owner of Sharwood, I am immensely proud of him reaching this incredible achievement. His first donation was in 2017 and he has successfully donated on every visit since then! He will now hand over the reins to his son, Brinjal, who has already donated 12 units,” Sue Mitchell, Sharwood’s owner, said in the news release.
Saving lives
One of the dogs who has received blood from Sharwood is a dachshund named Sizzle who suffers from hemophilia and has relied on receiving life-saving blood products his entire life.
“No words can express the relief an owner feels being told there are vital blood products available’, Sizzle’s owner Emma Gray said in the news release. “It truly humbles me that owners and their wonderful dogs give up their time to attend donation sessions. Without Sharwood and his lovely owner Sue, our dog Sizzle would simply not be here today.”
Vets save thousands of lives every year using blood products donated from dogs like Sharwood. “Canine blood donors and their owners are the hidden helpers of the veterinary world,” Osborne shared. Sharwood was given a medal from PBB but all doggy donors are heroes!
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