Newcastle vet supplying saline and giving animals a second life

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A global shortage of intravenous fluids isn't just affecting hospitals and medical centres, it's also causing problems for veterinarians.  But one vet in Newcastle has helped develop a creative solution that's now supplying saline to animals right across the country.

Transcript

00:00Russell the moggy is being put on a drip while he undergoes a biopsy.

00:10We would put an animal on a drip somewhere between three and eight times a day.

00:15He's getting the saline he needs, despite a global IV fluid shortage, thanks to an idea

00:22that came to his vet at the blood bank.

00:24I was aware that that product was being used, but a large amount of it was probably spare.

00:30And so then all being discarded.

00:32If an IV bag is partially used or expired, it's no longer deemed safe for humans, but

00:39can still be safely repurposed for animals.

00:42So then when we had an acute need for fluids that we couldn't be supplied with, I thought

00:48I might ask them if we could have them.

00:50Lifeblood was quick to jump on board.

00:53We thought this could be really important in helping to save the lives of these animals.

00:58But there was certainly some work to do from our end to get approval to donate that saline,

01:04but also to put procedures in place.

01:06Their nurses heat seal the partially used IV bags and drop them in a box to be donated.

01:12It's quickly become a national program, with Lifeblood providing around 5,000 bags of saline

01:19to more than 100 vets and animal clinics each month.

01:23And so everyone at the blood bank was, oh wow, we thought you couldn't use this half

01:27empty bag.

01:28But I was like, oh no, we can use it because our patients are so much smaller.

01:32And it's not just helping cats and dogs.

01:35We utilise those IV fluids for all sorts of species that come into the wildlife hospital.

01:41But for koalas that are an endangered species, they rely on these life-saving fluids primarily.

01:47Ensuring the ongoing global shortage won't leave these animals out to dry at home.

Category

Transcript

Recommended