Article By: Dr. Usama Afzal
Veterinary Officer (H), CVD 165, Jhang (L&DD)
Autohemotherapy also famous as self blood therapy, a very useful technique to strengthen the body defence system in natural way. Since this technique needs no artificial processing or technique or any external additive, so it is referred to be the Biological technique.
This technique is a part of traditional Regenerative medicine in some countries, however, most of the physicians prefer symptomatic treatment. As many scientists over the world have worked on Auto-hemotherapy and found positive results in some diseases e-g some virus diseases if applied repeatedly after some period of time.
As we all professionals are well aware from the ‘Auto-Immunity’, a term referred to be the synthesis of antibodies against an antigen automatically when it gains entry to an organism’s body. Similarly when antigen load is high, or there are not sufficient amount of antibodies produced then the signs of the disease starts in organism and chances of Auto-Immunity becomes low.
To boost the immunity, in case of some Viral diseases (and a fewer of the bacterial), Auto-hemotherapy can be very helpful. This technique will produce auto-immunity in the organism’s body against that antigen or virus.
Benefits:
- This technique can reduce the practice of ‘Symptomatic Treatment’ which is based upon a fewer symptoms (in Veterinary medicine). Symptomatic treatment shall not be the final clinical approach towards treatment without proper diagnosis and clinical findings. When the diagnosis and clinical findings both reflect the presence of some Viral disease then here comes the idea of Auto-hemotherapy.
- By auto-hemotherapy, owner’s trust on doctor increases because of its 100% Results and inexpensiveness. The cost of expensive tonics/antibiotics/Injections could be saved.
- If Animal is able to recover through autohemotherapy then it is crystal clear that being a professional we will definitely not use antibiotics in animals for sake of effective animal & public health.
- Chances for Second attack of disease will be low in the animal who has been gone through autohemotherapy, rather than the animal in which a lot of antibiotics have been used.
- The serum of recovered animals could be used in other diseased animals of same species for their faster recovery.
Protocol for Auto-Hemotherapy:
This is very simple technique, for which Blood of the Diseased Animal is used to boost immunity in the same animal. First history and clinical signs are analysed for judgement of infectious disease, its control, parameters and fatality. After that, necessary ailments for survival of animal till completion of course are managed. Then 8ml Blood/ 50 KG body weight is drawn intravenously in a syringe from the infected/diseased animal maintaining the aseptic environment conditions. Soon after the drawl of the blood is complete, without further loss of time the drawn blood is injected by intramuscular route in the same animal preferably near the immunity points (Lymph Nodes). While its ensured that aseptic condition is maintained throughout the process, the blood doesn’t clot and temperature of blood remains maintained. Then this process is repeated three times with lapse of 7 days each time. After 4th application the animal will be recovered completely if got proper development of immunity. However if a Veterinarian thinks that there is still a need of 5th application then he may go for it.
This technique is very helpful for field veterinarians & Pet practitioners. Mostly Dogs suffer from Parvo Virus infections and Canine distemper, whereas cats suffer from the virus diseases too, while the cost of symptomatic treatment in pets is high. So this technique may be practiced on long run basis to get the good results and benefits.
Reactions/Side Effects:
Since the Blood of the diseased animal is being given to the same animal so there may be no chances of any reaction or side effect, however it is advised that before injecting the blood, a wheel test may be followed by giving 2ml sub-cut injection of blood to that animal and be waited for any wheel formation for confirmation of hypersensitivity. If any hypersensitivity develops then this technique shall not be applied to that animal, whereas the occurrence of hypersensitivity may be related to presence of septic environment, use of un-disposable syringe or any adulteration in blood.
