Amanda needed a blood donor last week.  Winnie had previously donated to save a Pittbull's life (yes whether that Pit lived or died was in my hands).  Brutus was chosen to save an English Setter.  Doc Temm (Uncle Kip to Brut) plunged a 12 gauge needle into his jugular vein and took out about half a pint of whole blood.  Brutus never moved (much).  It was the fastest blood draw Dr. Temm ever did.

One of the folks who was watching this had GSP's from rescue and could not believe how Brutus sat through the procedure.  It's not simply that he was trained to sit still from a very early age, we bred him to be cooperative.  It's in his DNA to do what we tell him.  For his efforts, he got a belly full of delicious canned food.

I expected to see him wear out quicker in the days following.  Perhaps a longer run would have done it, but Brutus showed no ill effects of the blood loss.  The Setter started perking up after the infusion started.  It wasn't just the additional blood, but the other treatments were kicking in.

I'm told the Setter is an amazing hunting dog.  Her owner does horseback field-trials.  I understand that there is nothing truly special about the blood cells, and that they will all be dead and gone within 30 days.  But commingling of blood has been symbolic since the dawn of man.  Christians symbolically consume the blood of Christ and it isn't even thought of as a little weird.

Anyway, I hope the Setter continues to lead a full and wonderful life afield.  And I hope a little bit of Brutus' essence was transferred in his blood.