All About Blood Banks For Dogs And Cats
With advances in veterinary medicine, more complex surgical procedures are being performed on our beloved pets. Thus, there is an increased need for blood bank programs to supply life-saving blood components. In the past, Veterinarians had to use their own dogs, dogs owned by their staff, or even dogs borrowed from their clients as blood donors in the absence of animal blood banks.
Blood banks for animals depend on animal blood donors for their supply of blood products as human blood banks depend on human blood donors. Animal blood is donated to the specie it belongs. For example, dogs can receive only dog blood; it is similar to other animals as well. Canines also have blood types just like humans; they have eleven different blood groups. The most important dog blood type is the A1/A2 system. A dog can be considered a universal donor if he/ she has A negative blood type.
Although dogs rarely have isoantibodies against other blood types, it is still recommended that all recipients be cross matched prior to receiving a blood transfusion, especially dogs which have received a previous blood transfusion to make sure that your donor and recipient are compatible.
The major and minor cross matching is the two types of cross-matching tests. If major cross matching is done, red cells from the donor are mixed with serum from the recipient, then it is observed to see if there is a reaction. The recipient cells may attack donor cells and reject them. In the event that there is a major cross-match incompatibility, transfusion shouldn’t be done. For a minor cross-match test, the red cells of the recipient are compared with the serum of the donor. If there is a minor cross-match incompatibility, only parts of the donor’s blood can be given to the recipient.
Qualities for canine donors are: healthy, no history of metabolic or heart disease or seizures, lean body weight of greater than 50 kg, and 1-7 years of age. They should not be on any medication, except heartworm and parasite preventatives. Potential donors should have a good temperament, have been neutered and nulliparous, and have jugular veins that are easily visualized and palpated. They should also be current on vaccines. Greyhounds have been promoted as ideal blood donors because of their amenable disposition and high PCV.
As with human donors, screening is done to the animal donor’s blood for metabolic and infectious diseases after blood type determination. The following labs are done: CBC, biochemical profile, U/A, fecal exam, von Willebrand’s factor, and testing for Dirofilaria immiti, Ehrlichia canis, Babesia canis, B. gibsoni, Brucella canis (in intact or previously bred dogs), and Bartonella.
Blood donation takes more or less 30 minutes. Prior to going to the donation center, special preparations like fasting is not required, sedation of donors is not also necessary. During the blood donation, the donor is put on a table. In order to expose the skin over the vein to be punctured, there is a need to shave a small patch of hair on the neck. Then the area is cleansed with alcohol. Inserting a needle into the jugular vein, which is a large vein in the neck, collects blood. The blood that goes into the needle goes through a tube, and then it is collected into the collection bag. After the procedure, pressure is applied on the punctured site to stop any bleeding; a mild bruise may be present at the site.
Fluid and nutrients are then replaced by giving water and food after blood is drawn. The body compensates by producing new red blood cells immediately after the donation. In the next 24 hours after donating, strenuous activities should be avoided. Two months must elapse before the dog can donate blood again. By that time, the blood volume and red blood cell count will be back to normal.
As soon as they have made their donation, animal donors are compensated with various gifts and treats. They may be rewarded with a tag that identifies him or her as a blood donor, edible rewards that may include dog biscuits, a jar of baby food, a can or a bag of dog food, brand new toys and cool donor bandanas.
The blood donations will then be separated into the different blood components - red blood cells, platelets and plasma to be used for both emergency and pre-planned transfusions. The red blood cells are given to recipients suffering from anemia that may be due to trauma or a treatable disease. When the animal is not producing the right amount or is losing too much protein, plasma helps increase blood volume. Platelet-rich plasma is for those recipients with decreased or dysfunctional platelets.
There are now several world animal blood banks that supply blood products to Veterinary hospitals. Most have been opened for business within the past decade. Dog owners have responded with enthusiasm to the plea for blood donations and every year, the blood bank processes roughly 2,000 units of blood donated by dogs brought in to the bank at the Veterinary hospital and to the bank’s bloodmobile, which visits Veterinary clinics and kennel clubs.
Other regional blood banks rely entirely on the generous and caring people who enroll their pets in blood donor programs. These animal blood banks hold drives to find new volunteer donors and encourage them to donate just like the Red Cross and other health organizations do to acquire human blood donations.
If you would you like your pet to be a life-saver of other pets, and that they fit the requirements to be a volunteer donor, check out the where regional blood banks for dogs and cats or the list of Veterinary Hospitals and University Veterinary Medical Centers are located and contact the one nearest you. You can also inquire about animal blood donor programs during your next visit to the veterinarian.