Occasionally, a very sick cat or dog needs a blood transfusion, so it is good to have at least one donation in storage ready to use. It might be a liver tumour, road trauma, poisoning or an autoimmune disease that means a patient is in desperate need of additional blood.
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Interestingly, there is no need to cross match for the first blood transfusion in dogs, only subsequent transfusions should be checked. Cats, however, should ideally be cross-matched on each transfusion occasion.
Blood donor dogs need to meet specific criteria:
- General good health
- Over one and under eight years of age
- At least 25kg
- Up to date with vaccinations, including heartworm
- Have never received a blood transfusion
- Have a friendly and obedient demeanour
The process for blood collection should be as stress-free as possible. Upon arriving at your clinic, your pet will be checked over by vets to ensure they are in prime condition, and then laid down on their side on a comfy bed with friendly nurses talking to and cuddling them.
Once the blood donation has been collected from the jugular vein in a sterile manner, your pet will be given a drink of water, yummy treats and lots of TLC from the nurses. You’ll also receive a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that your pet helped save the life of another pet.
Most vets have a blood donor register and to the dogs who have already donated – thank you. You are all heroes and have helped save someone’s beloved pet. Have you ever thought about your dog becoming a blood donor? If your pet meets the above criteria and you’d like to help out, please call your clinic to join the donor register.
