Will a Blood Transfusion Help My Dog?

Our question this week was:

Dr. Debra – my neighbor’s dog was sick and got a blood transfusion then was normal again. My dog has been sick for about 3 or 4 months – do you think a blood transfusion would help?

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Beverly H.

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email. You wrote asking if a blood transfusions would help your sick dog. The answer is…it depends why your dog is sick. Blood transfusions are generally not a cure but a treatment procedure for anemia. There are many reasons why a dog can be anemic and some are very serious. The most important thing is to treat the underlying cause of the anemia.

If your dog has been sick – please take him or her to your veterinarian to help determine the underlying cause and if any treatments can help.

An article that might be helpful to you is Anemia in Dogs.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

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