Community Blood Donor Program
About the program
Being a 24/7 specialist referral hospital, UQ VETS Small Animal Hospital is in constant need of blood products for our patients. The Community Blood Donor Program invites dogs from the general public population to become blood donors and one of our Hospital Heroes. Their blood will be used to save lives for a multitude of different patients.
A patient may need a lifesaving blood product transfusion for a number of reasons, most of which are required without delay. Reasons may include, immune mediated conditions, traumatic injuries or toxicities affecting the body’s normal abilities of the blood to clot e.g. Rat bait ingestion.
Eligible community donors are behaviourally assessed to determine if they are appropriate for the donation procedure. A blood sample is then taken for a health screen and infectious disease screening to determine if the donor is fit and healthy. If successful, the donor will attend the hospital every 3 months to donate 1 unit of blood, which will be separated into red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma (the liquid component of blood). 1 donation has the potential to save the lives of two patients in need. The process itself is very similar to human blood donations, including receiving delicious treats after donating (canine friendly treats).
Blood Types
Multiple blood types have been identified in dogs. Just like in people, dogs can experience incompatibility reactions if transfused with the wrong blood type. There is one particular blood type, Dog Erythrocyte Antigen 1 (DEA 1), that can potentially cause adverse reactions in dogs that are not matched appropriately. For this reason, all potential donors will be blood typed.
Requirements to be a Community Blood Donor
Temperament
Potential donors must be happy and healthy! They will be assessed for any anxious or fearful behaviours as the donation requires the dog to lie still for a few minutes while the donation takes place – we will not force any dog into doing something they’re not comfortable with.
Body Weight
A dog must weigh more than 25kg in order to safely donate a unit of blood (approximately 450mL). It is important for donors to be in good body condition – not underweight or obese. Potential donors must not weigh more than 70 kg in order for them to comfortably fit on the blood donation table. Donors that are not a healthy 25kg or who weigh more than 70kg will not be eligible for the program.
Age
Dogs must be at least 1 year of age and no older than 6 years of age to be eligible for the blood donor program. A dog will spend approximately the first 12 months of its life developing a healthy body with fully functional organs and body systems. It is important for the safety and well-being of our donors to allow them to reach this level of physical maturity prior to blood donation. We are aware that all dogs are individuals and, in that respect, not all will be “ready” to donate when they are one year old. A member of staff can help owners decide if their dog is ready to be a blood donor.
In general, dogs will be retired from the program when they turn 8 years old. Just like humans, there is a certain amount of compromise to the body as a result of the aging process. Again, it is in the donor’s best interest to retire prior to the time that age-related illnesses become a concern. This time will vary based on each individual donor.
Vaccination and Preventative Health Care
Donors must have a current vaccination status for distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. There is a required 4-week resting period following vaccination before a dog can safely donate. Dogs can be safely vaccinated at any point after donation.
The majority of infectious diseases in the dog are transmitted by fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. Some of these infectious agents can be transmitted to our patients through blood transfusion. For the safety of both the donor and recipients we strongly encourage flea and tick prevention and must be up to date with heartworm preventatives.
Medication
Dogs are ineligible to donate if they are currently taking any medication (e.g., antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antihistamines). There must be at least a 14-day resting period after the medication is finished before the dog can be eligible to donate.
General Health
Dogs will be ineligible to donate blood if they have ever been diagnosed with any of the following:
- Heart murmur or other cardiac conditions
- Seizures or seizure-like activity
- Heartworm disease
- Chronic illness
- A disease/condition that required a blood transfusion
Entire bitches are not eligible to donate blood if they are in oestrus (heat).
If a dog has recently been ill (e.g., coughing, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhoea), please contact us to determine if and when they will be eligible to donate blood.
Body Conformation Concerns
As a result of some common anatomical features of certain breeds, blood collection can be quite difficult and/or not in the dog’s best health interest. English Bulldogs are excluded from the blood donor program. There are other breeds that may also be excluded from the program due to conformation – our staff will be able to let you know if your dog is a suitable donor candidate.
Eligibility Survey
If you think your dog would be a good addition to our Community Blood Donor Program than please fill in the survey. Once completed, one of our Hospital Heroes staff members will be in contact with you to arrange a pre-donation health check. Here we will be able to confirm with you if your dog is eligible to donate blood or not.