Conclusions
This study showed that a high percentage of participants were aware of canine blood donation , but subsequent results may indicate that this is counterfactual . The results found that many participants were not aware of the service provided by PBBUK , and therefore may suggest that a dog owner ' s perception of blood donation may be inaccurate and predominantly influenced by their knowledge of human blood donation . It was determined that participants were more likely to volunteer their dog as a canine blood donor once they had received additional information about the donation process , which was supported by the participants ' responses to the subsequent questionnaire , indicating that their initial perception had changed .
This study has identified that the veterinary profession could help to improve the lack of awareness of the canine blood donation process among the general public . Veterinary staff should educate dog owners about the shortage of canine blood donors and help to publicise nearby PBBUK sessions , to promote donor recruitment . Veterinary staff know the temperament of their patients , so could also suggest blood donation to owners whose dogs best fit the criteria . Furthermore , PBBUK could make veterinary practices aware of specific blood type shortages to help pinpoint demand . If implemented successfully , these strategies could be used as a guideline for future studies to evaluate whether there has been an increase in owner awareness .
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