Vet saves critically ill cats life by using dogs blood

A cat’s life was miraculously saved by an emergency blood transfusion – from the vet’s pet dog.Two-year-old cat Rolo was left critically ill after developing severe anaemia caused by a flea infestation.The beloved family pet was unable to eat or drink and had become so weak that she could no longer move when she was taken for emergency treatment at Vets Now in Sutton, south London.Rolo needed a transfusion urgently, and with no feline blood available at the time, weekend emergency vet Paige Walker turned to an unusual but recognized emergency option.The vet used blood from her own four-year-old cocker spaniel Gin, who became Rolo’s life-saving donor.Paige said: “There wasn’t any cat blood available to us at that exact moment, and feline blood is extremely difficult to source, but luckily, as it was a Sunday afternoon, I happened to have Gin with me at work.“Of course, a transfusion of blood from a dog to a cat might on the surface sound quite surprising.“But it’s actually an established option for one-off use in emergency circumstances like this, although it’s important to bear in mind that there is never a guarantee that it will have a successful outcome and it is not without risks to the patient.”Paige said that tests revealed Rolo’s red blood cell count upon arrival had fallen to just seven per cent, far below the normal level of around 30 percent.Around 60 millilitres of blood was taken from Gin before being transfused to Rolo, who was then monitored closely throughout the night.The procedure proved successful, and Rolo’s red blood cell count gradually began to rise.She added: “Poor Rolo really was very poorly.She’d collapsed, and her gums were very pale, which is a common indicator of anaemia.“We did tests, and her red blood cell count was down to seven per cent, which is one of the lowest levels I’ve ever seen in an adult cat.“We had to move very quickly, and the only potential option for keeping Rolo alive was an emergency...