Border Terrier dog saved by Pet Blood Bank transfusion at Wakefield vet defies odds to celebrate 15th birthday
A family’s beloved Border Terrier dog, which was saved following a blood transfusion at a specialist vets in Wakefield, is celebrating its fifteenth birthday after defying all the odds.
In early 2021, Emma Harrison’s beloved Border Terrier ‘Tilly’ was struck down by a life-threatening attack of immune mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA), where a dog’s body destroys its own red blood cells.
The condition is often a death sentence but ten days of intensive care at award-winning Paragon Veterinary Referrals, in Wakefield, and a blood transfusion, courtesy of charity Pet Blood Bank UK, earned then ten-year-old Tilly a reprieve.
Now, Tilly is preparing to celebrate her 15th birthday after defying all the odds.
Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Emma said: “We have had absolutely no medical complications since she had the blood transfusion and she’s in remarkably good health, despite always having had health issues.
“The blood transfusion in 2021 undoubtedly saved her life, and we didn’t dare to dream she would live to the grand age of 15, and still be in such relatively good health.
“We sort of thought that all things considered she might have a couple of years, if we were lucky, and we didn’t ever expect her to get to this kind of an age and still be doing so well. We’ve always just lived life and been grateful for every day we’ve had with Tilly.”
Speaking to the YEP in 2022, Emma singled out Paragon’s internal medicine specialist Andrea Holmes, who led Tilly’s initial diagnosis and treatment, for particular praise, alongside her local vet Donaldson’s based in Huddersfield.
Tilly also suffers from a hormonal disorder, called Addison's disease, where the dog’s adrenal glands fail to produce sufficient cortisol and aldosterone.
Since watching her beloved pet’s fight for life, Emma has been using Tilly’s troubles to highlight the work of Pet Blood Bank UK, the charity which provided the blood for the life-saving transfusion.
Emma added: “I think by sharing this news it will give other people a lot of hope that having such a massive medical intervention can be life-changing. We would love to meet the dog whose blood she’s got if it’s still alive because for Tilly it has been life-changing.
“Before we were in this situation in 2021, I had no knowledge of Pet Blood Bank atoll and the vast majority of people I speak too, even those who have had dogs all their life, have never heard of them either.
“Most people have never heard of them, but when you’re in that position and your dog is basically at death’s door and needs that blood, it is such a fantastic, remarkable service that is there.
“I think anything that we can do to get the message out there about how important it is, is good. Here we are four, five years on and here we are still reaping the benefits of Tilly being able to have that blood transfusion.”
Tilly will be 15 on October 22 and will be celebrating her birthday, alongside her sister ‘Peggy’ with friends at the Pear Tree café at Cannonhall in Barnsley.
Pet Blood Bank runs donation sessions across the UK. All would-be donors receive a full health check from a vet before donating approximately 450ml of blood.
Any fit and healthy dog, over 25kg in weight, that is aged between one and eight can donate blood. Every donation can help to save the lives of up to four other dogs like Tilly.