Not Enough Blood to Save Every Dog. Can Science Fix That?

Researchers are exploring ways to grow red blood cells from stem cells, an early step toward easing shortages that put dogs' lives at risk.

What happens when a pet dog loses a large amount of blood in an accident or during surgery?

Owners hope that a blood transfusion will save their beloved pets' lives, but veterinary facilities struggle daily to secure adequate blood supplies. Even blood banks operated independently by hospitals cannot resolve the shortages. 

In a potential breakthrough, researchers have begun investigating ways to produce red blood cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells).

Unlike human blood, canine blood is not supplied through a nationwide system, so each hospital must secure its own supply. 

According to Takashi Mori, director of Daktari Animal Hospital Kyoto Medical Center, many veterinarians once kept dogs specifically for blood donations, but this practice has become increasingly difficult to justify from an animal welfare perspective.

Not Enough Donor Dogs

The center operates a blood bank that regularly collects and stores blood. It also maintains a registry of donor dogs whose owners can bring them in to donate blood in emergencies.

Even so, Mori is unequivocal: "There simply isn't enough blood."

To protect donor dogs' health, the amount of blood that can be collected depends on their body weight, and sufficient time must elapse between donations. The three dogs registered with the bank are not enough to meet demand, so in emergencies, staff members bring in their own dogs to help.

During surgery to remove a tumor, blood may be suctioned out and reinfused into the dog. If the tumor is malignant, however, there is a risk that cancer cells could spread through the reinfused blood. Nevertheless, Mori explains, "It's better than having the dog die during surgery because no blood was given."

For dogs with conditions that require regular transfusions, veterinarians sometimes have no choice but to tell owners that keeping their pets alive will be difficult.

Why Blood Banks Fall Short

Under Japanese law, canine blood is classified as a "veterinary medicinal product," and its transfer and sale are regulated by the government. These regulations make it difficult for nearby hospitals to share blood supplies.

Mori nevertheless believes that easing restrictions on the transfer and sale of blood would not, by itself, solve the problem. Even when owners are asked to support the blood bank, few are willing to have their dogs sedated for blood collection. 

Keeping dogs specifically for blood donations is also impractical from an animal welfare perspective. Moreover, the available blood supply is too limited to support sales on a large scale, making it difficult to operate a large blood bank as a viable business.

Producing Red Blood Cells from iPS Cells

A research group led by Professor Shingo Hatoya of Osaka Metropolitan University has begun exploring ways to produce red blood cells from iPS cells. These cells can develop into various cell types found in the body.

In research announced in July this year, the team added several proteins to canine iPS cells and cultured them for just under a month. The process yielded cells resembling red blood cells that contained hemoglobin, a vital component of blood.

However, only about 3% of the original iPS cells developed into red blood cell-like cells, and the technology is not yet ready for use in transfusions.

Professor Hatoya expressed his determination to continue the research, saying, "We want to establish a system in which dogs can receive blood transfusions without relying on blood donations, bringing happiness to both dogs and their owners."

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(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: The Sankei Shimbun