Dogs saving dogs: Staffers at Lincoln animal clinic donate pet’s blood to save lives

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The staff at Ehlers Animal Care in Lincoln is giving the gift of life to their furry patients through blood transfusions.

Dr. Megan Ehlers started her clinic years ago, stemming from a love of animals that evolved into a passion for families, including those of her staff.

The clinic posted on Facebook on Thursday about how a recent donation from one of their employees’ dogs helped another dog survive a risky surgery.

“We don’t have a blood supply on hand. But what we do have is a huge staff with pets,” said Dr. Ehler.

She said her staff is always willing to help out, along with clients who may have a dog visiting the clinic for grooming.

“We say, ‘hey, would you let us use your dog for blood collection and donation today,’ and it’s crazy how willing people are to help,” said Dr. Ehler.

It was this same helpful attitude that helped Ginger, a 12-pound Sheba Enu with anemia and a bleeding tumor near her spleen.

“We knew she needed a transplant before surgery, otherwise surgery would have been too risky with as anemic as she was,” said Dr. Ehler.

“So, we gave her Axel’s blood, knowing that a first-time transfusion can be from any dog; it doesn’t have to matter, like in humans,” she said.

Dr. Ehler says that blood type is not an issue for a first-time transfusion and is only cross-checked for a second one.

However, similar to a human blood donation, the amount taken is approximately 1-2 units of blood, or 250 milliliters.

An ideal doggie candidate should be relatively young, healthy, and over 50 pounds.

“That’s why Axel was a good candidate for this particular case,” said Dr. Ehler.

Miya Higgins is Axel’s mom and has been a vet assistant at Ehlers Animal Care for several years.

She said she had just adopted the Rotweiler-Labrador mix a few weeks before the donation from the Capital Humane Society.

When asked to donate, her response was immediate.

“Why not? He can help another dog and another family pretty much, and I’d want the same thing to happen for my dog,” she said.

The procedure starts by ensuring the dog is healthy, then the staff checks that the animal is up to date on heartworm prevention.

Lastly, confirmation that the dog is not feeling sick is received. Once the pet is cleared, they are sedated and can give blood, which usually takes around an hour.

Once the donation is complete, it is back to business for both dogs — the donor and the recipient.

Dr. Ehler reports that Ginger’s tumor was benign and she is doing fine. As for Axel?

“He took it like a champ!” said Higgins. “When he woke up, he was his perky, happy self. He had no side effects, and he woke up like an angel.”

Dr. Ehlers says that if you would like to donate your dog’s blood, the best place to start is a local animal emergency room, since there is usually a greater need there.