What would you do if your dog was at risk of dangerous bleeding whether you chose surgery or not?
This was the incredibly difficult situation facing Nugget, a Multi Best of Breed Winner in Irish Kennel Club with a complicated medical history.
Nugget is a 3 year old American Hairless Terrier who lives with von Willebrand disease, a condition that prevents her blood from clotting normally. That means any procedure – even a routine one – carries higher risk, so when it came time for her to be spayed careful consideration and planning was needed.
Unspayed dogs are already vulnerable to a life-threatening infection of the uterus called pyometra, but because of Nugget’s bleeding disorder, she was also in danger of excessive bleeding whilst in heat.
Ultimately, Nugget’s long-term safety and quality of life was priority, so the dedicated team at Cromlyn House Veterinary Hospital got to work.
Nugget was blood typed in advance and found to be DEA 1 negative. This meant that when the veterinary team called us up, we could get the right products to them quickly. We got a unit of a specialist blood product called Cryo-Precipitate, which contains the blood clotting factors that she needed to ensure a safe surgery, shipped across the pond.
Nugget received a pre-operative transfusion to give her the best chance of recovery. Thankfully, she didn’t need any further transfusions after surgery and is now back home, being thoroughly spoiled, and moving forward into a much safer future.
Her owner Emma said: ‘A huge thank you to Pet Blood Bank for existing - having your products on hand was invaluable. What made Nugget’s surgery possible was the incredible team of people working together around her. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.’
Dogs like Nugget rely on blood being ready and available when emergencies or high risk surgeries occur. If your dog is aged between 1 and 8, over 25kg, and fit and healthy, they could become a lifesaver for dogs just like her. Visit our dog blood donation pages to learn more.
