At 11 and a half years old, Harley, a loyal German Shepherd mix, had always been a steady, comforting presence for his family. But in February, his loved ones noticed something was wrong – Harley was panting heavily, had lost interest in food, and just didn’t seem like himself. Concerned, they brought him to the emergency team at BluePearl Pet Hospital in Cedar Rapids.
Harley arrived restless and clearly uncomfortable. Our team quickly performed a diagnostic scan and discovered a hemoabdomen – a dangerous buildup of blood in the abdomen caused by a ruptured splenic mass.
This condition is treatable, but it can be life-threatening without urgent intervention.
Before surgery, Harley received 250mL of blood from a canine donor named Buck to help stabilize his heart rate. But once in the operating room, the severity of Harley’s condition became even clearer: his spleen was actively bleeding, and he was in desperate need of more blood.
Due to a nationwide shortage in the pet blood supply – a growing concern across the country – our emergency and blood bank teams knew they needed to turn to a life-saving alternative: autotransfusion.
This innovative procedure involves collecting and filtering the patient’s own blood lost internally and then transfusing it back into their body. In Harley’s case, he received 1,900mL of his own blood through autotransfusion, in addition to a double unit of donated blood during surgery. This combination helped stabilize Harley during one of the most critical moments of his life.
Thanks to the quick thinking of his veterinary team, the support of a generous donor dog, and the innovative use of autotransfusion, Harley pulled through surgery.
Just two weeks later, Harley returned to BluePearl for his post-operative recheck. Tail wagging and spirits high, he was doing great.
Harley’s story is not only one of resilience, but also a reminder of the importance of veterinary innovation and the real impact it can have on families and the pets they love.
