Dialysis and blood transfusion give 8-year-old labrador second chance at life in Kolkata
Coco was diagnosed with advanced pyometra, a life-threatening uterine infection requiring urgent surgery.
Written by Tanusree Bose
Kolkata | May 25, 2025 08:38 PM IST
3 min read
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Coco urgently needed haemodialysis, rarely used in veterinary medicine, to bring her creatinine levels down before she could undergo surgery. (Express Photo)
The Tripathi family from Howrah was heartbroken over the eight-year-old Coco’s pyometra, a life-threatening uterine infection requiring urgent surgery. Now haemodialysis along with blood transfusion at a private clinic in South Kolkata has given the family’s labrador a new lease of life.
To stabilise Coco’s condition, blood transfusion was done. This increased her haemoglobin level from 4 to 7.5, but her creatinine levels continued to rise, reaching 18—indicating acute kidney distress. It had become clear that Coco urgently needed haemodialysis, rarely used in veterinary medicine, to bring her creatinine levels down before she could undergo surgery.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Prince Tripathi, 29, who owns Coco, said, “She was lethargic, had lost her appetite, and her condition was rapidly deteriorating. First, we thought she may have had a viral fever but as her condition deteriorated, we ran some blood tests and saw that haemoglobin was low and creatinine extremely high, around 14.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, Prince Tripathi, 29, who owns Coco, said, “She was lethargic, had lost her appetite, and her condition was rapidly deteriorating. (Express Photo)
He added, ”Here in West Bengal dialysis for animals is not available. There was a unit at Bengal Veterinary College and Hospital in Belgachia but that is not operational. I visited other clinics also, but in vain. Finally, I was informed that haemodialysis was available at Animal Health Pathology Lab (AHPL). The time taken to stabilise her condition was very critical for us. I was ready to travel to Delhi for her treatment. I had also booked a coupe on a train. Then I got to know about this clinic. After her blood transfusion on Friday, her first dialysis was done. Two more dialysis sessions are required before the surgery.”
According to Prince, the treatment would cost around Rs 1 lakh in the national capital, whereas it cost him around Rs 12,000 per dialysis in Kolkata.
Laboratory chief technician Shaibal Das told The Indian Express, “This is for the first time that haemodialysis was done along with transfusion. It took around 1 hour and around 18 minutes for the entire process to be completed. The dog is stable now.
“When she came, her haemoglobin level was 4. At that point, an emergency blood transfusion was done. She has had three blood transfusions and the dialysis was done after the second transfusion.”
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“Probably she will require another two blood transfusions to bring the creatinine level down and dialysis. Only after that can the surgery of ovarian hysterectomy be done,” Das added.
In February, AHPL conducted Kolkata’s first canine blood transfusion, where a golden retriever donated blood to an unwell Dobermann at its Deshapriya Park facility.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
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3 min read
Speaking to The Indian Express, Prince Tripathi, 29, who owns Coco, said, “She was lethargic, had lost her appetite, and her condition was rapidly deteriorating. (Express Photo)
