Elvis
Well-Known Member
I can't remember who on here sent their horse to the equine blood bank, I'm sure I read about it in a thread recently but it escapes my mind who it was now? Does anyone know or can the person who it was PM me please.
Who on here sent their horse to the equine blood bank?
- Thread starter Elvis
- Start date
be positive
Well-Known Member
Wagtail has posted about her gelding who went last spring, she has given me advice via pm about possibly sending one of mine, I think you need to get onto it fairly quickly if you are thinking of sending one this year as they have set times for taking new horses in.
Tern
Well-Known Member
MrsB did! 
ladyaga
Well-Known Member
You want your heads examining, it a dreadful end.
Wagtail
Horse servant
If you are going to keep posting this stuff you need to quantify what you have seen or know FIRST hand, not just spreading untrue rumors.
Illusion100
Well-Known Member
A friend of mine sent her healthy horse to a prominent blood bank while studying. The horse was returned with a sticker on it's bum, emaciated, ill and with significant scarring from blood extraction. By this time the owner had become an equine vet and had no choice but to euthanize her horse.
I remember going with her to be reunited with her mare. The condition the horse was returned in was despicable. Her grief still upsets me.
I remember going with her to be reunited with her mare. The condition the horse was returned in was despicable. Her grief still upsets me.
Wagtail
Horse servant
The BB I went to never returns horses. They stay there until they are PTS on the premises. Every horse I saw looked well. This was just coming out of winter too. They had shiny coats and their manes and tails were neatly trimmed. No sign or trauma to the necks. There were around 350 horses there.
The man who manages the facility explained that it would not make sound business sense for it to be any other way. If the horses are stressed or malnourished, then the blood product is no good. Also they take a year before they are settled and trained to the routine. He told me he wants at least ten good years out of every horse to make that worthwhile. Allowing horses to get the way you describe does not make any sense. Prospective clients visit the facility to see how things are done. They have regular inspections.
There are only two such places in the UK. One is near MK, the other in Scotland. I can only speak for the MK one. But know that under no circumstances do they return horses to owners. Wherever your friend sent her horse, it was not the place I visited.
Illusion100
Well-Known Member
I'm glad you have such a positive view regarding your experience of equine welfare at BB's.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
It wouldnt be an option for any of my horses I would rather pts, but yet one of mine might one day have to have blood and I know it has to come from somewhere but it just does not sit right with me.
be positive
Well-Known Member
If one of your horses had to have blood it is unlikely to come from the blood bank, the blood is not used for equine transfusions, it would hardly be a business to keep that many horses for the purpose of giving blood to other horses, transfusions are rarely required, in those cases the vets will usually find a nearby donor and get what is required at the time.
The blood from the blood banks is used for medical purposes and research within the human market which is profitable and necessary, they only take the blood there are no experiments performed, they want blood from animals that are relaxed and living a stress free lifestyle.
Pinkvboots
Well-Known Member
So is none of it used as donor blood then?
twobearsarthur
Well-Known Member
Thank you for explaining what it's used for. I did wonder where all these horses needing blood transfusions were hiding.
be positive
Well-Known Member
A link to the website which details what the products are used for, I wondered why horses were required so did a little research, my initial thoughts were that it was for transfusions but had never read about horses needing them unlike us they don't tend to be hooked up to blood during or after operations, they don't tend to have arterial bleeds that frequently and would rarely be in a position to be rushed into A&E for treatment, it is usually a stitch up and rest or beyond hope, there are probably a few conditions that would need transfusions to help recovery but then the vets will just collect some from a nearby horse, I believe some practices have a horse kept for the purpose or a list of local owners that will help.
http://www.tcsbiosciences.co.uk/donor_horse_serum.php?genre=pharma
Wagtail
Horse servant
Most equine hospitals keep a couple of horses for emergency transfusions. Unlike humans, most horses can give blood to all other horses. My sister, who lives in mid Wales, far away from any equine hospitals, had a horse that was kicked in the abdomen. They found him collapsed in the corner of the field. The vet identified massive internal bleeding and so used one of my sister's other geldings to transfuse blood and save his life. He had to be cross tied for 3 weeks and on IV fluids too. But he made a full recovery. Horses can donate as much as 6 litres at any one time without detriment.
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fburton
Well-Known Member
I sent my TB gelding to a bloodbank for 9 months. I have no complaints about his treatment there.
I think you need to say a bit more to support your claim. Personally I can think of a lot more dreadful ends that horses can and do have.
I think you need to say a bit more to support your claim. Personally I can think of a lot more dreadful ends that horses can and do have.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
My vet used to use his own for blood/plasma transfusions as they aren't required very often.
As a microbiologist I used horse blood (and sheep) quite a lot.
As a microbiologist I used horse blood (and sheep) quite a lot.