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Pet Blood Bank freezes blood product prices
The charity works 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure blood products are available.
Fundraising means it will not be increasing its prices.

Pet Blood Bank UK is to freeze the prices of its blood products, after fundraising support enabled it to not increase its prices.

Donations have also meant that the charity can continue to subsidise costs of fresh frozen plasma, and provide free blood products to veterinary charities.

The price freeze is a result of fundraising that Pet Blood Bank UK has received throughout the year, including donations from veterinary practices, individuals and business across the country. The charity says that these donations help with the significant running costs involved with its work.

The cost of living crisis has also made affordable access to vital veterinary services a concern for many.

Pet Blood Bank UK was set up to provide a blood service for pets, advancing blood banking and transfusion medicine.

It runs blood donations sessions across the country, where owners can bring eligible pets to give blood. These donations are then transported to Loughborough, where it is separated into different products and stored ready for veterinary use.

The charity operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week to ensure that blood products are always available.

As well as supplying blood products, Pet Blood Bank UK also shares knowledge and offers free education to veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. It works with veterinary professionals to protect high welfare standards for all pets.

Katrina Wilkinson, managing director of Pet Blood Bank UK, said: “Our hope is that as the charity continues to grow and we build our support, we will be able to continue making these lifesaving blood products as accessible as possible.

“A huge thank you to all our veterinary colleagues who support the charity and help us to make our mission possible.”

Image © Shutterstock

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New guidelines published for wildlife disease surveillance

News Story 1
 A set of international guidelines for disease surveillance in wildlife has been updated for the first time since 2015.

Released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Organisation for Animal Health, General Guidelines for Surveillance of Diseases, Pathogens and Toxic Agents in Free-ranging Wildlife is designed to help wildlife authorities and others working with wildlife carry out effective surveillance programmes.

The document, which cover areas including choosing appropriate strategies, safety and biosafety protocols, and ethical and legal considerations, can be read here.  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Restricted zone extended after more bluetongue cases

After three new cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 were detected along the Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire border, the restricted zone has been extended.

The zone now includes Buckinghamshire and part of Berkshire, as well as Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, City of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Sussex, Essex, Greater London, part of Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, part of Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, part of Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, Surrey, and West Sussex.

Susceptible animals in the restricted zone should only be moved if it is essential. A specific licence is needed to move a susceptible animal from within the restricted zone to outside of the zone.

Bluetongue is a notifiable disease. Suspected cases must be reported on 03000 200 301 in England or 03003 038 268 in Wales. In Scotland, suspected cases should be reported to the local field services office. In Northern Ireland, suspected cases should be reported to the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or by contacting the local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.

A map of the areas where restrictions apply can be found here.