Animal blood donations save the lives of seriously ill pets every day. According to the RSPCA, blood donations can be vital.
Donated blood transfusions are used after trauma; during surgery; to treat cancer, clotting and bleeding disorders; as well as to treat toxins, such as rat bait and snake bites, that cause bleeding.
Is my pet eligible for animal blood donation?
Just like with humans, there are certain criteria a prospective donor has to meet to be eligible for animal blood donation. These include:
- Owners need to give written consent.
- Dogs must weight over 15 kilograms and be aged between 1 to 8 years. Cats must weigh over 4 kilograms.
- Animals need to be healthy and have never travelled outside Australia.
- Pets must be up to date on vaccinations and worming, flea and tick prevention, and have never received a blood donation.
- Dogs need to have a calm temperament. Cats are usually sedated for the procedure.
What does animal blood donation involve?
Animal blood donation takes about half an hour, and can be done up to four times a year.
For scheduled donations, pets usually attend in the morning and are ready to go home the same afternoon. Emergency donations may be requested at any time.
Before the donation occurs, your vet will do a complete physical exam and blood test, to ensure your pet is healthy enough to donate blood, as well as to determine their blood type.
Blood is collected from one of your pet’s veins, most commonly from the neck. Before the blood is taken, the fur over the vein is usually clipped and the skin cleaned with disinfectant.
Your dog or cat will be monitored closely before, during and after the blood donation by qualified staff.
After the procedure:
Once a pet has donated blood, there are a few steps to ensure they fully recover:
- Make sure your pet avoids strenuous exercise for 24 hours
- Keep cats indoors overnight
- Provide plenty of fresh drinking water at all times
- Monitor for signs of lethargy, reduced appetite, nausea, bleeding from the blood collection site, uncoordinated movements, salivating more than usual or licking lips excessively. If any of these signs are seen, contact your vet immediately.
Where can my pet donate blood?
Animal blood donation programs operate around Australia. As a first step, speak with your vet about your pet’s suitability to become a donor and where your nearest program is located.
As the RSPCA points out, each donation of blood can save up to three lives – what’s not to love about that!
