Cat feline fine after blood transfusion from vet's moggie

SMOKEY the cat is feline much better - after a blood transfusion from another moggie.

Vet Evan Holdsworth carried out the rare procedure on the 17-year-old using blood from his OWN cat Dickens.

Mr Holdsworth, from White Cross Vets in Walkden, realised his cat was the same blood group as Smokey as he was operating on him.

Smokey had originally gone to White Cross Vets to have several teeth removed, but after the operation, his blood failed to clot properly.

Clinic Director Mr Holdsworth said: “During Smokey’s operation it quickly became apparent that his blood wasn’t clotting properly so we kept a close eye on his red blood cells. They had fallen to a very low level. Cats have two blood groups, and when I realised Smokey had the same group as my cat, it gave us an obvious solution. I brought Mr Dickens into the practice and took approximately 40ml of blood for Smokey. As a result, Smokey’s red blood cells doubled almost immediately and then returned to normal levels within a few days.

“Blood transfusions between cats are relatively rare, but are often very successful in these types of scenarios. It’s great to see Smokey quickly returning to full health and there’s no doubt that Mr Dickens didn’t mind donating some of his blood.”

Smokey’s owner, Wendy Walsh, said: “We’ve had Smokey since he was a kitten and he’s always been a fighter. He’s had lots of health issues and lost an eye in a traffic accident which means he burns energy quickly, but nothing stops him enjoying life.

“Although we were panicking when we heard there was a problem with his blood, there’s no doubt that he was in very capable hands with Evan. We are extremely grateful to the team at White Cross Vets and Evan for coming up with such an innovative solution and using his own cat for the blood transfusion, which demonstrates just how important Smokey’s welfare is to them.”

White Cross Vets started in West Yorkshire over seventy five years ago and now have sixteen practices across the UK. The family-owned group is now headquartered in Guiseley, Leeds.