Pet dog saves life of coast guard K-9 with donated blood

A pet dog named Bingo has donated blood to and saved the life of Kat-Kat, a K-9 of the Philippine Coast Guard.

According to Cedric Castillo’s “24 Oras” report, Wednesday, Kat-Kat’s handler noticed that the five-year-old bomb-sniffing dog was acting unusual earlier this month.

“Kat-Kat’s handler noticed that the dog was lethargic and wasn’t eating. On July 4, she was admitted to a vet clinic,” said PCG veterinary officer LTSG. Kirk Acdal in English and Filipino.

“We found out that Kat-Kat’s blood platelets were low,” he added.

Acdal said the illness was caused by a parasite that entered the dog’s bloodstream through a tick bite.

“It’s like dengue which is called Canine [babesiosis],” he said. “It is caused by Babesia, a specialized type of bacteria that lives inside the cell so it’s a blood parasite.”

If not treated immediately, the disease could be fatal to dogs. Through social media, the South Western Mindanao PCG asked for help from pet owners.

Viena Conde responded to the call, and that was how her fur baby Bingo came to the rescue.

Before the transfusion, several tests were made to ensure that Bingo was healthy and the blood of both dogs matched.

They proceeded with the blood transfusion on July 5, and Kat-Kat showed signs of recovery soon after.

“We’re happy because we helped save Kat-Kat’s life,” Conde said in Filipino.

The PCG, meanwhile, is thankful to Conde and Bingo.

According to Acdal, they appreciate the big help because it takes almost a year to train a coast guard dog and when one leaves, it’s expensive to train a new one and it also affects their security operations.

For fellow dog owners, he reminded them to ensure their pets’ health and hygiene.

“When they don’t want to walk or there’s swelling on the limbs, bring them immediately to a vet clinic. The best thing to do is to prevent tick bites,” he said.

It is also important to bathe and groom dogs regularly and clean their spaces to make sure that there aren’t any fleas or ticks living in it.

Flea and tick control products may also be used but with a veterinary’s guidance. – Franchesca Viernes/RC, GMA News