Most dog owners have experienced that heart-stopping moment at least once. Your dog was off leash, saw something that looked fun to chase, and took off like a shot into the street.
Tires screeched and, if everyone was lucky, the driver simply honked their horn, gave you a nasty look, and drove on.
In the worst-case scenario, however, the dog suffers a traumatic injury and must be rushed to a veterinary hospital where, in addition to medical care, the dog’s life depends on the availability of canine blood.
Most people have never heard of animal blood banks, even though they are a vital lifeline for countless pets every year.
Just like human blood banks, they operate to ensure there is a safe, reliable supply of blood and blood products and, just like their human counterparts, animal blood products are in constant need.
A Closer Look At Animal Blood Banks
Originally, the animal blood supply was dependent on veterinarians providing blood from their own pets.
Today, however, the vast majority of animal blood products, including plasma, red blood cells, whole blood, platelets, and other products, are provided by commercial blood banks.
These commercial blood banks are facilities that house and care for a number of dogs in colonies where they are played with, loved, benefit from 24/7 veterinary care, and are even available for adoption in some cases.
The dogs are a mix of shelter animals, retired racing dogs, and other animals that might otherwise have been euthanized.
These facilities are regularly inspected, meet specific requirements established in the Animal Welfare Act, and are regulated by the US Department of Agriculture and its state-level counterparts.
Beyond the regulatory rules, however, taking excellent care of these animals is just good business.
“The veterinarians and other customers we work with insist on it,” says Scott Horner, CEO of Animal Blood Resources International.
“As a matter of good veterinary practice, we only provide blood from healthy, happy, well-attended animals, so in addition to it being the right thing to do, it’s just good business to provide everything our donors need for their health and wellbeing.”
How Blood is Collected and Used
About two cups of blood is donated in a simple process, similar to when you donate at the Red Cross. Just like when humans donate, the dog’s system begins replenishing that blood right away, and they are able to donate every few weeks.
The dog then gets a treat while the blood is separated into various blood products and distributed to veterinary hospitals.
The most common use for this blood is in pet surgeries and to help an animal stabilize after severe trauma, but there are several other situations where a pet might need regular transfusions.
It might surprise some dog owners to learn their pet has anemia or other blood diseases, autoimmune disorders, liver disease, or other conditions that require transfusions, and some pets going through cancer treatment may need blood replacement as well.
An adequate and reliable blood supply is what helps keep these beloved pets alive.
Your Dog May Be Able to Donate Too
In recent years there’s been growing interest in establishing more “community blood banks,” where people can bring their pets to donate blood on a regular basis.
It’s a good idea that can help increase the available blood supply, however, it’s been slow to take off and the blood that is available from these sources is just a fraction of the overall need.
Establishing your dog as a donor might be something you want to consider. The main requirements are that your dog is at least 50 pounds, one-year-old, healthy, and has had all its shots.
Assuming your dog is a good candidate, it’s also a commitment: you’ll be asked to bring your dog in on a regular basis to donate.
It’s best to check with your vet first to see if your dog is a good candidate for a blood donor and find out more about what’s involved.
If you have a very active, outdoor dog that might be more at risk of injury, you might also want to talk to your vet about storing your dog’s own blood for emergencies.
It’s also recommended that all owners have their pet blood typed so that in case of emergency you already know their type (there are six different blood types for dogs).
Animal blood banks aren’t limited to just dogs either. Many provide blood products for cats, horses, and even cattle. Find out more from your vet today, or visit https://www.abrint.net for more information.
