Do Dogs Have Blood Group?

Duke and Sandy

 

This happened today. A lady who is living in an apartment nearby came to our home. By the look of it she was in a state of panic and barely coherent. Slowly the story started taking shape. She owned a Beagle (The Beagle is a breed of small to medium-sized dog. A member of the hound group, it is similar in appearance to the foxhound, but smaller with shorter legs and longer, softer ears. Beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, deer, and other small game. They have a great sense of smell and tracking instinct that sees them employed as detection dogs for prohibited agricultural imports and foodstuffs in quarantine around the world. Beagles are intelligent but single-minded, and popular pets because of their size, even temper, and lack of inherited health problems.Although beagle-type dogs have existed for 2,500 years, the modern breed was developed in Great Britain around the 1830s from several breeds, including the Talbot Hound, the North Country Beagle, the Southern Hound, and possibly the Harrier.).

 It was understandable why the lady was so attached to the mutt. He is cute and lovable. The problem was that he was having some health problems and needed to be operated upon. Could we spare one of our dogs to donate blood? My first reaction was of course to refuse. I was not sure that my dogs could withstand the trauma. However better sense prevailed and I agreed that if required my dogs would only be too pleased to help a fellow canine.

This also got me wondering on the question "Do Dogs also have a blood have a blood group"?  Turns out that dogs have 13 blood groups of which 8 are identifiable. But the good news was that most of them are universal donors. Whatever little hope I had of my dogs not being involved was almost snuffed out . To my relief the vet found another donor and we were spared the trauma of seeing our dog being sucked out of blood. Hopefully the beagle has survived....

You must be wondering what this photograph is all about. Obviously it is a bar or an ante room in a officers mess . The story of this Bar is quite unique and worth sharing. Please notice the wooden seating and the portholes on the sides . The persons in the Background are of little consequence and do not figure in the story I am relating. It is just that they happened to be in the vicinity when the photograph was clicked. So I would request you to take your mind of them and llisten to the rest of the story...

          

In 1985  we had quit using the Packett Aircraft for all activities related to the army. We had switched to different aircraft by that time. All phased out obsolete Aircraft had been given to various Air force stations for display. One of them was given to our station also . For the next 17 years the Aircraft kept lying on the Base braving the vagaries of the weather . Slowly it got dusty and neglected - for who would want to waste time on a aircraft which had served its time? But the army also had fond memories of the aircraft. We had used it in the Bangladesh War and every time we visited the air force station we looked to see as to what could be done to utilise it better and how it would be constantly in the present - at the same time - telling us stories of the glorious past of the Indian Army. It was then that someone hit upon a brilliant Idea. "What if we could use the aircraft for some useful purpose and at the same time maintain it"? And so an Idea germinated. The wheels started turning . A requisition was put from the army side and in due course the Packett aircraft was given to the army.

Disassembling And Assembling

Since the air force base was far from the army base, the problem was of moving the aircraft. This was done by makig precise diagrams and video graphing the entire process. The the aircraft was moved in small parts to the army base , where it was assembled again into a whole aircraft. It was thoroughly cleaned and painted. It now started looking new. The interior was made as authentic as possible and finally the redecoration was done to convert it into a Bar. The effect was stunning and was an instant hit. People after a log day love to assemble in the aircraft to loosen up and use the excellent facilities therein. An attempt to replicate the seating resulted in the authentic albeit uncomfortable wooden benches which passed as chairs. If you think the story ended ther you are mistaken. In 2010-11 when the new mess was established  at a different location the only thing missing was the aircraft which again underwent the procees of disassembly and assembly at the new location to complete the ambiance  of the mess. To this day visitors are dazzled by the aircraft, its interior and the novelty which goes with it...

Monday's class was muted and conducted by Prof Mahadik . It was about stocks and shares and how we could best make of the knowledge imparted to us to stay ahead in the game