Thanks to social media, the generosity of strangers and a little bit of luck, a Nova Scotia dog has a second shot at life.
Marianne Britney said she knew something wasnât right with her four-year-old dog, Ted, when she came home one day and he didnât jump up to greet her.
âHe was very lethargic, nothing moving at all, didnât want to eat. And I knew something was wrong immediately because normally Ted just runs around like a deer,â Britney told CTV Atlantic.
She brought Ted to a local animal clinic, where veterinarian Kelsey Harding delivered the news: Tedâs red blood cells were so low that it was hindering his bodyâs ability to carry oxygen.
âAt that point we needed to look at a transfusion,â Harding said.
But the clinicâs supply of blood wasnât a match. Desperate for help, Britney turned to a Facebook group for Bernese Mountain dog owners in the province.
âTed has taken a turn for the worse. He needs a transfusion now,â she wrote in the post. âPlease, if anyone can donate call the Metro Animal Emergency Clinic in Dartmouth.â
Britney said she considered her efforts a long shot. But the messages started pouring in, and she quickly had five dog owners volunteering to get their pets tested for a match.
âI just couldnât believe it. There were a lot of tears,â she said.
Sandi Dacey was one of the first to respond. She said the Facebook group is an important support network for dog owners.
âIf thereâs an issue we can call on anybody and weâre always there to help,â she said.
Daceyâs dog, Argo, a Saint Bernard mix, ended up being the perfect match. Vets were able to draw blood and give Ted the transfusion he needed.
âFor a dog to get blood from your dog and know itâs going to save them, itâs unbelievable. It brought tears to my eyes. It really did. I was overwhelmed. Itâs special, it is,â Dacey said.
For Britney, the donation means Ted is able to live.
âTed would not be here without Argo,â she said.
The transfusion forged a bond between the two dogs, and it also brought their owners together. Dacey stayed with Britney for eight hours to keep her company while Ted was undergoing the procedure.
âThey wouldnât leave me alone until I got to be with Ted afterward, which was pretty amazing,â she said.
With files from CTV Atlantic