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.
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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.