Used pacemakers can get second life in pets after death or upgrade | Fact check
A Facebook post claims that used pacemakers can be donated to pets. This article fact-checks the claim and provides information about programs that accept pacemaker donations for dogs.
Pacemakers can be donated for implantation in dogs
A Facebook post shared an X-ray of a dog with a pacemaker and claimed that pacemakers can be donated to dogs after death. This claim is true.
Several universities in the U.S., including the University of Georgia, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Missouri, have established programs that accept pacemakers for use in dogs. These programs allow pacemakers to be donated after death or after being upgraded.
Medtronic, a pacemaker manufacturer, also promotes the recycling of devices for companion animals. These programs aim to lower the costs of cardiac care for pets, as new pacemakers can be expensive.
Pacemakers can also be donated to patients overseas
The Facebook post correctly states that pacemakers cannot be donated to another human in the U.S. However, used pacemakers are sometimes shipped overseas to lower and moderate-income nations where they can be used for patients in need.
The University of Michigan’s Frankel Cardiovascular Center has a program called the My Heart Your Heart Program that sources pacemakers from funeral homes. This program is leading a clinical trial that reuses the devices after a patient's death. In addition to that, the program has sent reconditioned pacemakers to under-resourced countries for life-threatening cases with no alternative.
Overall, whether donated for patients overseas or animals, pacemaker donations can usually be coordinated with a funeral home, according to the Funeral Consumers Alliance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the claim that used pacemakers can be donated to pets is true. Programs in various universities and manufacturers like Medtronic accept pacemakers for use in dogs, greatly reducing the costs of cardiac care for these animals. Additionally, some used pacemakers are donated and reused for patients overseas or in under-resourced countries.
It's important to consider donating used pacemakers if possible, as it can provide much-needed medical care for animals and individuals who may not have access to new devices.
