Pit bull saves other dogs with its blood
Published Monday, October 18, 1999
From The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Kevin Smith
Staff Writer
RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Sunni loves to catch Frisbees and chase tennis balls.
But the 4-year-old American pit bull terrier also participates in something far more important - donating blood. "She's what they call a universal blood donor," said Toni Klemstein, the dog's owner. "She's missing the antigens that cause other dogs to react to a donation. She's already donated blood three or four times."
Klemstein, a receptionist at Baseline Animal Hospital in Alta Loma, said blood is frequently needed for dogs that have been injured or have autoimmune problems.
Once, I had a little, old couple who had a tiny poodle," the 43-year-old Rancho Cucamonga resident said. "They got a kick out of the fact that a pit bull's blood was used for the transfusion."
Baseline veterinarian Bruce Armstrong said the practice of blood typing for dogs has only been in use for the past 10 years. Most vets don't provide the service, because the process is costly and time consuming, he said. "It costs about $70 to $80 to do a blood type and another $100 to $200 to do the transfusion," Armstrong said. "We don't do it here. I only get about one or two dogs a month that need blood."
Emergency veterinarian hospitals often need blood, and Hemopet in Irvine is one of the places where they can get it.
Hemopet is one of four canine blood banks in the United States. The nonprofit facility provides about 120 units of blood per week, said Jason Barnhart, operations manager.
"We deliver blood throughout the U.S., Canada and sometimes Hong Kong," he said. "We have about 130 donor dogs. They're all greyhounds. We rescue them out of the racing industry. They are excellent donors."
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