Canine Blood Transfusions...
As with humans, there are also blood banks for dogs and donors are always needed. There is a national shortage of canine blood and blood banks are finding it hard to keep up with demand. Drawing blood usually takes 15 to 20 minutes and there is no need for anesthesia. Usually a pint is drawn on medium to large size dogs. Dogs also have different blood types that are based on antigens found in red blood cells (see Canine blood groups and their importance in veterinary medicine) . They are designated by a number system, not letters as in the case of people.
There are stringent requirements that must be met in order to be a donor dog. Dogs must be between the ages of1 and 8, weigh at least 50 pounds, have current vaccinations and heartworm preventive, and have a calm demeanor as this is a procedure where the neck is shaved in a small area and blood taken directly from the juggler vein.
There are also blood banks for cats as well. Cat and dog blood cannot be intermixed. Side effects sometimes include lethargy for a few days and owners are encouraged to avoid strenuous exercise with their pets during that time. Generally, to be a regular blood donor, dog owners must agree to a full blood panel, screening for pathogens and blood-borne parasites and allow their dog to be drawn at least six times a year.
I have experienced the value of blood donations personally with my dogs. When the mother to my newborn pups died suddenly, donor blood was taken from a healthy dog and spun down for the serum. The serum was tube fed to the surviving pups three times over a 36 hour period. Turns out that during the first 36 hours of life newborn puppy systems can absorb the needed antibodies of a healthy adult dog and this protects them the same as colostrum in mother’s first milk.
If you are interested in your dog becoming a donor, get in touch with one of the blood banks listed below.
Animal Blood Bank DBA
This blood bank is located in Stockbridge, Michigan and ships to most parts of the country. They supply canine, feline, llama, ovine and bovine blood products.
Contact information:
Animal Blood Bank DBA
PO Box 609, Stockbridge MI. 49285
Office: 517-851-8244
Fax: 517-851-7762.
Blue Ridge Veterinary Blood Bank
All volunteer canine blood bank located in Severna Park, Maryland.
Contact information:
Blue Ridge Veterinary Blood Bank
120 East Cornwell Lane
Purcellville, Virginia 20132
Phone: (540) 338-7387
Phone: (800) 949-3822 (EVBB)
Website:http://www.brvbb.com/site/view/190152_Home.pml
Hemopet
Hemopet is a canine blood bank located in Garden Grove, California.
Contact information:
Hemopet
11330 Markon Drive
Garden Grove, CA 92841
Phone: (714) 891-2022
Website: www.hemopet.org
The Veterinarians' Blood Bank, Inc.
The Veterinarian's Blood Bank is located in Vallonia, Indiana and works to supply canine blood.
Contact information:
The Veterinarians' Blood Bank
3849 S. State Road 135
Vallonia, IN 47281
Phone: 812.358.8500
Toll Free Phone: 1.877.838.8533
Website: www.vetbloodbank.com
St. Louis Animal Blood Bank
This is an all-volunteer canine donor blood bank servicing St. Louis and surrounding areas.
Contact information:
St. Louis Animal Blood Bank
9937 Big Bend Road
St. Louis, Missouri
Phone: 314.822.7600
Website: www.stlouisanimalemergencyclinic.com
Animal Blood Bank
Contact information:
Animal Blood Bank
P.O. Box 1118
Dixon, California 95620
Toll Free: 800-243-5759
Office: 707-678-7350
Website: www.animalbloodbank.com
The Pet Blood Bank
The Pet Blood Bank holds frequent blood drives throughout Central Texas.
Contact information:
Phone: (800) 906-7059
http://www.pettransfusion.com/index.htm
Sun States Animal Blood Bank
This is an all-volunteer blood bank that is commonly looking for donors.
Contact information:
Sun States: Blood Banks for Animals, Inc
2927 NE 6 Ave
Wilton Manors, FL 33334-2606
Telephone (954) 630-2231
www.sunstates.org
HemoSolutions
Contact information:
3775 Airport Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80910
Phone: (719) 380-1900
Toll-free: 1 (800) 791-2507
Website: www.hemosolutions.com
Rocky Mountain Blood Services
Contact information:
Rocky Mountain Blood Services
17701 Cottonwood Dr.
Office 2
Parker, CO 80134
719.522.3227
Website:http://rockymountainbloodservices.com
University of California Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital Blood Bank
Contact information:
UCDavis VTH
Phone: (530) 752-1393, ext. 421.
Website:http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=8551
Website:http://www.ucvmc-sd.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/
Canine Blood Bank of Central Iowa
Contact Information:
Canine Blood Bank of Central Iowa
6110 Creston Avenue(
Des Moines, Iowa 50321
Phone: (515) 280-3051
Website:http://www.aecdsm.com/caninebloodbank.php
Murphy's Blood Bank/Southern Arizona Veterinary & Specialty & Emergency Center
Contact information:
141 E Fort Lowell
Tucson, AZ 85705
Phone: 520-888-3177
Website:http://www.southernazvets.com/news.htm
Dove Lewis Blood Bank
Contact information:
Northwest Hospital
1945 NW Pettygrove
Portland, Oregon 97209
Phone: (503) 228-7281
Website:http://dovelewis.org/
Ocean State Veterinary Specialists
Contact information:
Ocean State Veterinary Specialists
1480 S County Trail
East Greenwich, RI 02818
Phone: (401) 886-6787
Website: www.osvs.net
Angell Animal Medical Center
Contact information:
350 South Huntington Ave.(
Boston, MA 02130(
Phone: (617) 522-7282
Website:http://www.mspca.org
Buddies for Life Canine Blood Bank
Contact Information:
1400 South Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Phone: (248) 334 – 6877
Website:http://www.ovrs.com/canine_blood_bank/index.php
Emergency Clinic For Animals Blood Donor Program
Contact Information:
Emergency Clinic Animals SC
229 West Beltline Hwy
Madison, WI 53713
Phone: 608-274-7772
Website: www.emergencyclinicforanimals.com
University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine
Contact information:
College of Veterinary Medicine(-The University of Tennessee (
SACS(C247 Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Knoxville, TN 379964544
Phone: (865) 974-8387
Website:http://www.vet.utk.edu/bloodbank/index.php
Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Contact information:
College of Veterinary Medicine
240 Wise Center Drive
PO Box 6100
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Phone: (662) 325-3432
Website:http://www.cvm.msstate.edu/
Veterinary Teaching Hospital at North Carolina State University
Contact information:
NC State College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Teaching Hospital
4700 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC 27606
Phone: (919) 513-650
Website:http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/vth
Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Contact information:
Michigan State University/College of Veterinary Medicine
East Lancing, MI 448824-1314
Phone: (517) 355-6509
Website:http://cvm.msu.edu
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Contact information:
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
PO Box 647010
Pullman, WA 99164-7010
Phone: 509-335-9515
Website:http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu
Ohio State University Blood Bank
Contact Information:
Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine
601 Vernon L. Tharp Street
Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: Phone: (614) 292-3551
Website:http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/bloodbank.htm
Twin Cities Animal Blood Bank
Contact Information:
14690 Pennock Avenue
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Phone: (952) 953-3737
Websites:http://www.smaec.com/tcabb/index.php
