Frequently Asked Questions
Why Do We Need An Animal Blood Bank?
Like humans, there are times when our canine and feline companions may have an urgent need for blood or plasma. This could include trauma, blood clotting disorders, autoimmune diseases and some cancers, certain poisonings, and/or excessive bleeding from illness or surgery. We are committed to having a full assortment of blood products easily accessible for your pets and our local veterinary community to avoid detrimental treatment delays that are inevitable when we have to order these products from far away.
The Care Center Animal Blood Bank is currently accepting new donor dogs! Ideal candidates are young dogs (1-7 years old), who are very sociable and friendly. Blood donors should not have any serious health issues and should not be on medication (thyroid medication and certain others are OK). We also require that blood donor dogs are up to date on their recommended vaccines, and have monthly flea control and heartworm medication. Since the blood donation process takes about 10-15 minutes, blood donor dogs should be comfortable laying on their side with gentle restraint for this period of time.
In order to provide the safest blood products available, all potential blood donor dogs are thoroughly screened. The first test is a blood typing test to determine what blood type they have. At this time, only dogs who are universal donors (DEA 1.1 negative) are enrolled as donors. These dogs have the ability to give blood to any other dog, regardless of the recipient’s blood type. Only about 50% of dogs are universal donors. Some breeds, such as greyhounds and pit bulls, have a higher percentage of universal donors in the population. Once a dog is known to be a universal donor, blood work is submitted for additional typing, complete blood count, biochemical profile, heartworm test, and infectious disease screening (for tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease). If the donor dog passes these tests, they are enrolled as a blood donor. Bloodwork will be rechecked yearly to make sure the dog is still healthy enough to donate blood.
Yes, dogs actually have several different blood types. Their blood groups are called DEA groups (dog erythrocyte antigen) based on the types of proteins on their red blood cells. The most important blood type is DEA 1.1, and a potential donor dog should be negative for DEA 1.1 (about 50% of dogs are).
Dogs can donate a full pint of blood, just like a person. Our donor dogs need to be at least 50 pounds to donate blood. Healthy dogs can regenerate their blood cells and be ready to donate blood every 4-6 weeks, however we only ask our blood donors to come in every 3-4 months.
The collected blood is separated into components – packed red blood cells and fresh plasma (the water component of the blood). By separating the blood into its components, we are able to help more dogs with every transfusion. Each blood donation is processed into 2 units of red blood cells and 2 units of plasma, potentially saving the lives of 4 other dogs. The blood is then sold at a nominal fee (to cover the cost of supplies) to local veterinary hospitals. The Care Center Animal Blood Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and does not financially benefit from your dog’s blood donation.
The first thing we do is take a tiny blood sample from the back leg to make sure your dog’s blood count is high enough to donate. The minimum PCV (red blood cell count) is 45% for most dogs, and 55% for greyhounds. Then we take the dogs into the blood bank area, where they get treats and are allowed to play with toys and become familiar with the room. Blood donations happen with the dog laying on their side on a padded bed, and only takes about 10-15 minutes. The blood donation is collected from one of the large veins in the neck, and you may notice a small shaved spot in your dog’s fur (under his collar). Once the donation is complete, the blood donor dog gets to play some more, and is given a can of food, treats, and lots of love!
Most dogs will display no obvious effects of donating blood. Unlike humans, dogs have a mobile reservoir of red blood cells in their spleen, and can replace 1/3 of the donated blood immediately. They will regenerate the rest of the blood cells within a couple of days. Occasionally dogs will be tired after coming home, but most dogs are ready to eat, play, and exercise as soon as they get home.
No, we do not routinely sedate dogs for blood donation. Most dogs are remarkably tolerant of the procedure, especially once they learn there’s food and snacks afterwards! Occasionally some dogs will have an “off” day and not want to cooperate. In these situations, we may decide to cancel the blood donation and just make the visit to the blood bank a “happy visit” with treats and playing. We take our blood donors’ safety and well-being very seriously, and make the experience as pleasant and rewarding as possible. If your dog struggles during restraint or seems anxious/unhappy, we will stop the donation process and try again another day.
With each blood donation, your dog receives a large bag of Hill's dog food. They get a free emergency office call yearly (tests and hospitalization not included) as well as comprehensive lab testing performed annually. In addition, should your dog ever develop an illness and need a blood transfusion, we will provide the blood products at no charge, up to the number of units your dog has donated.
We will contact you every 3-4 months to bring your dog in for a donation. We try to give at least 1-2 weeks’ notice, but in case of an emergency we may call on short notice to see if your dog is possibly available. We understand busy schedules, and you are welcome to drop your dog off in the morning and pick them up after work. Most blood donations will be finished by the early afternoon.
When you schedule the blood donation, please let us know if your dog hasn’t been feeling well, is taking a medication, or anything else unusual. With most prescription medications, we will wait to collect a blood donation until they have been off medication for a couple of weeks. This ensures that the donor has adequate time to recover from their illness and is as healthy as possible before giving blood. Also let us know if your pet has travelled out of state, or has been used for breeding since the previous blood donation. In certain circumstances we may send out additional testing for diseases not common in Ohio, or spread by breeding activities.
Please feel free to contact us at 513.530.0911, or email at: [email protected]
