A good samaritan brought a tiny puppy into the Louisiana SPCA in New Orleans, Louisiana, after discovering the pup abandoned in the bushes outside their apartment complex. The puppy was only weeks old—barely past the newborn stage and far too young to be away from mom. The puppy was also covered in fleas, his entire body crawling with the parasitic insects.
The veterinary staff at the Louisiana SPCA jumped right into action and started getting the puppy cleaned up and assessed. Puppies that small can’t survive on their own, and it’s a miracle the good samaritan found this sweet baby in time.
After a good bath and some blood tests, the vet staff discovered that the puppy was severely anemic and would need an immediate transfusion to avoid catastrophe.
@laspca A puppy (Dragon Fruit) was found in a bush at an apartment complex. He was heavily coated in fleas and anemic. That’s when a hero (Scout) stepped in to save the day. He donated several bags of blood, and now the puppy safely rests in foster care until ready for adoption. Scout is also in foster care and waits for a hero to adopt him. #shelterdog #blood #anemic #puppy #puppytiktok #shelterpetsoftiktok ♬ Holding out for a Hero (from “Footloose”) – Bonnie Tyler
What is Anemia?
Anemia is a condition caused by a lack or shortage of healthy red blood cells and/or hemoglobin, which help to oxygenate the body. Anemia and a lack of oxygen can make the body lethargic, and cause unwanted weight loss, difficulty breathing, and heart rhythm abnormalities among other symptoms and side effects.
Anemia can be caused by several factors, including blood loss, which is likely what caused this puppy’s anemia. The puppy was covered in fleas, which are blood-sucking parasites. Considering how many fleas were on the puppy, it’s reasonable to assume it could have lost a significant amount of blood, which could have triggered anemia.
Finding a Donor For Anemic Puppy’s Blood Transfusion
The puppy—named Dragon Fruit by shelter staff—needed to have its red blood cells and hemoglobin replenished as soon as possible. Anemia can be fatal, and for such a young puppy, the combined blood loss and low oxygenation could easily turn deadly. To replenish Dragon Fruit’s supply of red blood cells, the veterinary staff would need to perform an immediate blood transfusion.
But, where do veterinarians at shelters get donor blood for their patients? You can’t use human donor blood, so you need canine donor blood.
To save Dragon Fruit’s life, Scout, a heroic shelter dog, donated multiple bags of blood. The transfusion worked, and now Dragon Fruit is on the road to recovery!
Meet Scout—The Hero Shelter Dog Who Donated Blood
Scout is the two-year-old male Pitbull who donated blood to save Dragon Fruit’s life. Scout did it all with a smile on his face, and he got lots of love from the shelter staff as a thank you. Now, Scout is ready to retire from his career as a hero and settle into family life. Scout needs a home and a forever family that can appreciate how full of love he is.
Scout is 55 pounds of solid love! A super affectionate dog with a tail that never stops wagging, Scout loves everyone he meets. Staff at Louisiana SPCA say that Scout is intelligent and eager, which makes him an excellent student for basic training and tricks. Confident and cheerful, Scout is a cuddly boy who just wants humans he can adore.
If you live in or near New Orleans, Louisiana, and want to give Scout a forever home, visit him at the Louisiana SPCA or fill out an adoption application and mention him by name.
