COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — ___
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American bulldog pitbull mix Chunk's name suits him well. At 75 pounds his owner, Aly Evans, says he's kind of like a bull in a china shop.
"But sweet, very, very sweet," she said. "He just wants to meet everybody."
On the day we met Chunk, he was getting lots of love from the team at North Springs Veterinary Emergency and Specialty. The practice on the north end of Colorado Springs has an animal blood bank donor program, and Chunk just got approved to donate.
"For many years I've wanted to have one of our pets donate, and he's our first that has been large enough to do so," Evans said.
Evans, a former veterinary technician, had been thinking about getting Chunk evaluated to be a blood donor. She says when she saw the need following CSPD K-9 Roam's stabbing attack in Colorado Springs this past fall, she knew it was time. CSPD told us the blood from other law enforcement K-9s and local blood banks helped save Roam's life after a suspect stabbed him multiple times.
"Anyone who enters the veterinary field, we have a passion for helping," said Evans. "Once I hung up my stethoscope, if you will, I still have that passion of wanting to help, and this is how I can continue doing so."
North Springs Veterinary Emergency and Specialty happens to be one of two practices that provided blood to K-9 Roam to help save his life. But veterinarian Dr. Mark Sutton says animal blood product is typically used more often for patients with chronic conditions than in emergencies.
"We have a bunch immunologic diseases like immune-mediated diseases, autoimmune conditions, certain cancers, certain chronic things like kidney disease which they need blood product, too," Dr. Sutton said.
Sarah Masias runs the blood bank at North Springs Veterinary Emergency and Specialty and is hoping to get more owners interested. Masias says animal donors get free blood work done once a year, a savings of $600. She said donors also get a free exam ahead of each donation.
"More and more hospitals are needing to get blood in, and it's harder to get donors," Masias said. "It really means a lot to be able to have donors and be able to provide the blood that the patients need."
Canine donors at North Springs Veterinary Emergency and Specialty are required to be over 50 pounds, between two and 8-years-old, up to date on core vaccines, and have no underlying conditions. They also must be current on heartworm, flea, and tick preventatives.
"The hardest part is just the stress of like the abnormal environment," said Dr. Sutton. "It's a relatively painless procedure as far as things go, just a quick little poke. It really is the stress of all the new people, the new smells, the new places, so it does take like a stoic kiddo. You want them to be nice and calm like (Chunk) right here."
In less than 15 minutes, Chunk was back up and running around the practice with perhaps a new nickname...hero.
As an incentive, donors at North Springs Veterinary Emergency and Specialty can get a $75 credit to the practice or a bag of pet food of their choice.
The practice also takes blood donations from cats. Click here to learn more about the blood bank.
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