Yes, they do. At least many people think they do. In reality, over a dozen separate dog blood groups have already been discovered and will continue to discover more as studies continue. In dogs, blood types are highly inherited with complicated inheritance patterns influenced by the breed of each dog and their diet. Blood type may also be influenced by the location of the animal’s origins and even some medications taken by the dog.
For instance, if a dog is crossbred from other dogs, it will display the traits of both parents. However, since its forefather was a purebred and not a mutt, it can only display the traits of that forefather. It would only be able to display the traits of its mother and father. Since these are not the only dogs within the litter, the chances that it will display the traits of all its ancestors are very slim. That is why many veterinarians reject the idea of performing a blood type cross matching for various breeds of dogs.
If veterinarians had access to a molecular zoo where they could test the dogs for purebred characteristics using only DNA, they might accept the idea of canine blood transfusions. After all, it is known that most breeds can carry the recessive trait for the relevant blood type. Even so, it is a very laborious and time consuming task. You would need to carefully screen all the dogs using polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) and other techniques in order to get as much relevant information as possible. To learn more about different dog breeds, their traits and behavior, visit anythinggremanshepherd.
Allergy test Before using canine blood
Another problem is that canine blood transfusions blood cannot actually be used on dogs. It contains antigens that can cause allergic reactions. Even if it were safe, there is still the potential for infection. You therefore need to perform an allergy test first in order to be absolutely sure that your Petsynse will not develop an allergy after receiving a dog blood transfusion.
Moreover, there is another major drawback that comes with canine blood transfusions – the loss of bone marrow. This happens when the blood fails to travel to the bone marrow, resulting in the absence of vital blood cells. A dog that receives a blood transfusion may suffer from severe anemia due to insufficient amounts of red blood cells (RBC’s). Other serious effects include bone shrinkage, kidney failure and hypothermia. The latter is life-threatening and can result in death if not treated in time.
One way around this problem is for owners to donate RBC cells (with the necessary equipment) to be stored in a Doppler machine. Once needed, the owner can contact the animal rescue organization and have the RBC’s harvested and given to the poor recipient. This is perhaps the only way to prevent blood loss due to a lack of a donated RBC stem cell. However, donation usually requires a trip and is very costly.
Final Though
As a final thought, it should be mentioned that dogs do not have the same allergy protection as we humans do. Because of this, some dogs may develop serious illnesses or allergies after receiving a blood transfusion. Some dogs develop the illness before they receive a blood transfusion. These are usually easy to detect since the symptoms seem like common rashes that most of us would experience in our own bodies.
The above information clearly indicates that many dog owners may be concerned about the issue of Do dogs have different blood types. It may be helpful to research your own concerns before assuming that your canine friend has some sort of serious health problem. However, there is no real reason to be worried as long as you are careful and make informed decisions when feeding your dog, exercising your dog and supervising your dog’s activities.
