Canine Blood Donations

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Most dog owners are unaware of the need for canine blood donations. There are blood bank
locations nationwide, but most veterinary blood banks use blood from a confined colony of canine
"humane blood" collected from donors who are beloved pets, thus eliminating the need to keep dogs
in cages for this purpose. Most blood banks require that an individual dog donates blood 5-7 times in
a 12 month period. If your dog becomes a blood bank donor, he/she will be eligible for the following
benefits (may vary slightly depending on the program collecting the blood):

Blood Typing

Blood chemistry profile and complete blood count yearly

Tests for Ehrlichia and Heartworm every 6 months

Brucella test

Von Willebrand's test

Tests for Hemobartonella, Babesia, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever yearly

Physical examination every time your dog donates

For each unit of blood donated, a donor in good standing will receive a free unit of red blood cells or plasma should injury or
disease ever warrant its use.

Requirements of donors (may vary slightly):

A healthy canine weighing 35 lbs. or more and between the ages of 9 months and 7 1/2 years.
He/she must be able to donate 5-7 times a year. Dogs can safely donate every 3 weeks.

Donors must be maintained on heartworm preventative during mosquito season.

Donors must be up to date with their regular veterinarian's health and vaccination schedule.

Some medications may prevent your dog from donating.

Hawkeye, Pebbles, and Levi are regular blood donors.
They donate 5-7 times a year.

WJLA (ABC Channel 7 in the Washington, DC viewing area) did a story about the Eastern Veterinarian Blood
donate blood to the EVBB. Dr. Ann Schneider is the founder and director of the EVBB, the largest canine blood
segment on 1/30/08.