Cooper is a five year old Cocker Spaniel who is full of life and character. Whether he’s playing endless games of fetch or enjoying a cuddle, his loving and cheeky nature makes him impossible not to adore.
One Friday evening, his family noticed slight bleeding from his gums. At first, it didn’t seem serious, as Cooper was still full of energy and behaving normally. But by Sunday, his condition took a worrying turn when he began passing blood in his urine.
An emergency visit to Westway Vets revealed devastating news. Cooper had immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (IMTP), a serious autoimmune condition where the body attacks its own platelets, preventing blood from clotting properly.
From that point, his condition deteriorated quickly.
He began bleeding from his gums, nose, bladder, and bowels, and developed bruising across his body. His gums became pale, his eyes bloodshot, and he grew increasingly weak.
Cooper urgently needed a blood transfusion to survive.
Over just four days, he received six transfusions. Because of the volume of blood he had lost in such a short period of time, the transfusions were his only chance of survival.
Now two months into his recovery, Cooper continues to be closely monitored while receiving treatment to manage his condition, but despite everything he’s been through, his personality is shining through once again.
Cooper’s owner, Robbyn, said, ‘I cannot express enough how grateful we are for the dog blood donors and their owners, as well as the teams at Westway Vets and Pet Blood Bank. Such a selfless act has saved our boy’s life, which in the initial stages of the disease looked to be impossible. The rapid same day delivery of the blood and the support we received during one of our hardest experiences does not go unnoticed.’
Now, Cooper wears his Pet Blood Bank transfusion tag proudly as a reminder of the donors who gave him a second chance at life. Without donated blood, his story would have been very different.
It’s all thanks to the dedication of veterinary teams like those at Westway Vets, not only for the lifesaving care they provide every day, but also for their support as a Pet Blood Bank host venue, helping to make blood donation sessions possible.
If your dog is aged between 1 and 8, over 25kg, and fit and healthy they could be a lifesaver and help other dogs. Visit our dog blood donation pages to learn more.
