'Relaxed' dog snores during 40th blood donation

Sharwood, with owner Sue Mitchell, has been donating since 2017

A "relaxed" dog has fallen asleep and snored his way through his 40th and final session as a blood donor.

Sharwood has become the first dog to have completed an "incredible" 40 blood donations for Pet Blood UK, according to the charity.

Owner Sue Mitchell said she was "just so delighted" the Gordon setter had reached the milestone at a donor session in Northampton.

The blood will be processed and stored ready to be sent out to vets for life-saving procedures.

He likes it all so much he falls asleep the moment he lies on the table in the donor room, Ms Mitchell said

Sharwood's blood has saved the lives of 160 dogs, according to the charity, which retires its donors once they reach the age of eight.

The charity was set up in 2007, following a change in legislation which permitted the collection and storage of animal blood.

Marketing manager Nicole Osborne said: "Since then we've seen thousands of dogs and donors every year and Sharwood is the first to have done 40 donations which is just incredible."

He is "a relaxed dog in general", said veterinary nurse Zoe Lord, who was responsible for extracting the sample.

Ms Mitchell explained he was a show dog, so used to being handled and groomed, and from the very first session "went to sleep and started to snore" - as he did on his final session.

Having turned eight, Sharwood has now completed his last session and was given a send-off including a pile of doggy goodies and a gold medal to wear on his collar

The dogs are given a pre-donation health check by a vet and if all is well, they are taken into the donor room to give 450ml (15 fluid oz) of blood.

Ms Osborne said at each stage they are given "lots of positive reinforcement".

"We have dogs that have been before and they come in through the door so excited because they'll be given lots of treats and cuddles," she said.

Like humans, they have different blood types which can be positive or negative - with negative blood donors in particularly high demand because they are universal donors.

Donors must weigh more than 25kg (55lb), be fit and healthy, aged between one and eight and have confident temperaments.

The charity gave Sharwood an engraved gold medal to mark his final donor session.

Ms Mitchell, whose other dogs have given blood, said "it's about helping society and other dogs".

"If your dog has a suitable temperament and you have the time to go to the sessions, it's very, very worthwhile," she added.