Hero dog gives blood to save canine pal

Tuesday 12 March 2019

Not all heroes wear capes - sometimes it’s just fur! A local dog and his owners have been hailed as “total stars” after they rushed him down to the vet to donate blood in a bid to save a German Shepherd’s life.

Muttly, a seven-year-old labradoodle / boxer cross, donated blood to save Millie after his owners, Ana and Andrew, saw a post on the Jersey Dog Forum.

Millie has since made a “remarkable recovery” surrounded by her family and her doggy siblings, Mac, a four-year-old German Shepherd and Sooty, a Newfoundland puppy.

Chantal, her owner, explained that Millie first went to the vet about two weeks ago, as she was not eating and “not herself.” She received a few injections and seemed to be getting better. But the following Sunday, 3 March, she was off her food again and very quiet. After she was sick, Chantal took her to the vet. 

Pictured: Millie (in the back) with her 'brother,' four-year-old Mac.

“They took bloods and her kidney function was abnormal and she was significantly anaemic,” Chantal explained. “They then did a scan which showed free fluid in the abdomen. The fluid and anaemia indicated she was bleeding abdominally and the vet could see a mass on the scan.”

The family was told Millie needed surgery immediately as well as a blood donation. Chantal’s daughter contacted one of the Jersey Dog Forum’s admin, who put a post on the 7,650-strong group. The response, Chantal said, was “overwhelming” as about 30 people contacted her, offering their dogs as donors.

“I have been on the Dog Forum since it was set up and it really is well managed by the admins and kept very positive,” Chantal said. “It’s such a positive page and members always seem to help each other with advice and much more.

“The power of the internet was amazing. We were overwhelmed by messages from owners volunteering dogs that fit the criteria to donate blood. We were overwhelmed by the support and kindness we have received.” 

The Dog Forum’s admins also contacted Ana directly knowing that her “biggish dog” Muttly could be a suitable blood donor. 

Ana explained that as Muttly doesn’t mind going to the vet, she and her partner didn’t hesitate to volunteer him as a donor and rang New Era Vets straight away.

“Muttly loves going to the vet,” she said. “He likes it so much, he bounces like a loon! He’s actually embarrassing! I had to tell the team not to mention his name and not to give him too much attention so he would be calm to give blood. He’s just a big goof!”

After a few exams, Muttly was assessed as suitable to give blood and Millie received the transfusion around 02:00. She has since recovered from her ordeal but has come a long way, as Chantal says: “She lost approximatively 1.8litres of blood so without the transfusion I doubt she would have survived.”

After his life-saving donation, Muttly received lots of treats, including his favourites:  apples. “He was treated a bit like royalty,” Ana said. He also received a “Flea” – a dog toy particularly popular among the Dog Forum members – as a thank you from the admins.

While it was the first time that any of Ana’s dogs – she has four, Muttly, Woody Peggy and Eddie, as well as two fosters – gave blood, she says it wasn’t a hard decision to make. “Anyone should do it,” she said. “If something happened to my dogs, I would hope the community would do the same. There were a number of other people who came forward so there was a back up in case Muttly wasn’t suitable, it’s nice to know that people would come to help.”

“The real heroes are the vets,” Ana added. “They were up all night helping Millie, they don’t get enough credit.”

Pictured: Millie meeting her newest sibling, Sooty, a Newfoundland puppy.

“I can’t thank Ana and Muttly enough,” Chantal said. “Ana gave up her evening and allowed her dog to be used to help Millie. I didn’t know Ana before and I think she is just the most amazing person. They are total stars and without them we may well have lost Millie.”

“I think people should know that the vets often need blood donors for other pets,” Chantal explained. “Doggy donors are so important in saving dogs' lives! There is a list of criteria dogs have to meet to be able to donate blood.

"They seem to vary slightly depending on who you speak to, but I was told they need to be fit and well, over 25kgs in weight, under seven years old, on no medications, not been to Europe recently and of good temperament so that donating blood will not be too distressing for them.”