Chittagong Correspondent:
The country’s first animal blood bank has been opened in Chittagong. The SA Kaderi Teaching Veterinary Hospital opened the first animal blood bank in an attempt to make blood more readily available for injured and sick pets.

Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) organised a workshop titled “Establishment of Animal Blood Bank” on its campus on April 7.

The blood bank was inaugurated during the workshop. Speaking at the inauguration, Prof Dr Goutam Buddha Das, vice-chancellor of the CVASU, said: “Animals will donate blood as people do.

“Getting blood for animals becomes difficult as there is no such blood bank for them in the country. Sometimes the life of an animal is at risk. Life can be saved if there is a blood bank for the animals.”

Prof Dr Bhajan Chandra Das of medicine and surgery department of the CVASU played the lead role in setting up of the blood bank.

“The number of people rearing dogs and cats has increased in recent time. The demand for blood for ailing or injured pet animals has increased at the same time. We request pet lovers to donate blood at the bank as a bag of blood could save lives of four animals. A dog can easily donate blood four times a year,” said Prof Bhajan Das.

“We are providing free cross-matching service for dogs and cats at our hospital. Besides, we are awarding certificates and identity cards to the donor cats and dogs,” he also said.

The veterinarians at the function said the pet animals needed blood transfusions in cases of bleeding, trauma, surgery, infectious disease or certain other medical situations.

“The donor pets will get blood on priority basis during any emergency situation,” said VC Prof Goutam Buddha Das.

Blood donation does not cause any harm to the normal activities of an animal. A cat and a dog should weigh at least 4kg and 20kg respectively to be a blood donor. The pet animal should also have sound health between one and six years of their age. A donor pet should also be worm-free and not on any medication. The four-legged donors should be well-behaved and docile, the veterinarians said.

The donor cats and dogs must be vaccinated before donating blood. Screening is necessary to avert the risk of transmitting blood-borne parasites and diseases during blood transfusion from one animal to another.

“We do not sedate the dogs. A typical blood draw from a dog takes about seven to 10 minutes. Cats are different from dogs. Cats are sedated since they are a little more reclusive and sometimes have a little higher stress level in the hospital,” said Ireen Sultana, a post-graduate student of the university who is now working with the veterinary hospital.