As a result of the advances in veterinary medicine and the numerous specialty services available today, the demand for blood transfusions has risen dramatically. Specialties such as oncology, emergency medicine, critical care, and internal medicine have created a need for increased knowledge in and application of veterinary transfusion medicine. The availability of canine blood products can sometimes mean the difference between saving the live of someone's beloved pet or not. Put yourself in the situation. In order to understand the value of blood donation, it is first important to know the composition and function of blood.
Blood is composed of two major constituents.
Plasma, the liquid portion, contains hormones, antibodies, clotting factors, nutrients, enzymes, proteins, electrolytes, and water. These cells are made in the bone marrow and are released to circulate in the plasma. The spleen and the lymph nodes also produce some specific WBCs. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body and transport carbon dioxide, the waste product, back to the lungs for elimination from the body. The oxygen and carbon dioxide are carried within the cell by hemoglobin, a protein containing iron.