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He Might Not Know It, But This Hero Just Saved Another Dog's Life

March 5, 2015

This is Mac. He was called in to be an emergency blood donor for a critically ill dog.

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Mac is DEA 1.1 negative, meaning he is a universal dog donor. This test also ensures the dog has enough red blood cells to not harm him.

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After the blood sample was taken to make sure he was healthy, his neck was clipped and he was given a clean.

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The packs used are designed for humans, but work well in dogs. This is a single bag which doesn't allow for splitting of the red blood cells and plasma.

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The needle goes in to the jugular vein as it's the only one big enough. Mac has donated before so he knows what's going on and was very happy just to lie there.

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The amount a dog can donate is nearly the same as a human, but on the lower end. This is the maximum Mac can safely donate.

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Blood is flowing nicely. He was held by the muzzle to stop him moving his head and damaging his vein.

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Afterwards Mac was given lots of treats.

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And just a few hours later he's back outside playing frisbee.

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According to Mac's owner: "The other dog did survive after spending the better part of a week in the ICU. She had a severe clotting disorder and was bleeding quite a bit. She needed fresh blood as an emergency for the clotting factors."

Who's a good boy? You are Mac!

Credit: dashclone.