Did you know that there is such a thing as a pet blood bank? Pets have the same transfusion needs as humans and, in some cases, that transfusion can save their lives.
How it Started
In the past, dogs and cats who were sick, had injuries or even required some major surgery were euthanized. It was thought that things had just gone too far and couldn’t be repaired. What’s happening today, though, is that vets are finding that with blood transfusions these issues can be treated and the pet’s life can be saved.
Just Like Human Blood Banks
In order to have a transfusion for your pet, there must be available blood. That means we need a pet blood bank to be able to draw from. This is just like human blood banks which store blood in case of emergency. And you know what that means: We need to get more pets to donate blood.
HemoSolutions
One of America’s largest national pet blood banks is found in Colorado Springs, Colorado and called HemoSolutions. Currently, they have about 300 dog donors and 100 cat donors but always need more.
It takes about 10 or 15 minutes for your pet to give blood and, for a dog, there’s no need to give them a sedative. Cats, however, are different story and must have a sedative. But here’s the really cool part. After your pet gives six times, HemoSolutions sends money to the donor family’s veterinarian to help with routine medical care.
How to Donate
The most important thing for pet blood donation is for your dog or cat to be in good health and up to date on vaccinations and parasite control. The whole point is that they need disease-free blood, obviously, but there are other requirements as well.
For dogs, you’ll want to have your pet weigh at least 50 pounds or more. Cats need to be at least 10 pounds. Animals should not be older than six years or younger than one year.
Blood Types
According to the CNBC, the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State advises that there are at least six blood types for dogs, some of which are universal donors.
For cats, they have either type A, type B or occasionally type AB.
Pet blood is shipped all over North America as well as internationally. Contact your veterinarian if you’re interested in being a pet blood donor.
Photo Credit: istockphoto.com
