Small Animal Blood Bank
Our mission is to provide lifesaving blood products for dogs and cats in need, advancing
veterinary transfusion medicine through a commitment to safety, care, and compassion.
By partnering with dedicated donors and their owners, we strive to ensure the health
and well-being of both donor and recipient, offering hope and a second chance for
pets in critical need.
About the Program
Veterinary transfusion medicine has made several advancements in recent years. Despite
these advances, the supply of blood products is still limited. Unfortunately, many
patients still die today because there isn't any blood available for transfusion.
Dogs and cats may need blood transfusions for several reasons. Infectious diseases,
trauma, immune-mediated diseases, during and after surgical procedures, and rodenticide
toxicities are the most common causes.
CRITERIA FOR BECOMING A DONOR
- Blood donors (dogs and cats) should be between 1 and 7 years old, with a calm and agreeable temperament.
- Canine donors must weigh over 25 kg, while feline donors should weigh more than 5 kg.
- Blood donors must be in good health, as determined by a thorough physical exam, blood work, and infectious disease screenings.
- Cats should be indoor cats.
- Pets must have never received a transfusion or antivenom treatment.
- Pets must receive annual vaccinations and be regularly treated for ticks and fleas.
- Blood donors must remain calm and well-behaved during the donation process. If deep sedation is necessary the candidate may not be selected to be a donor.
The Owner's Role
The blood donor's owner plays a vital role in the process. Your commitment, responsibility,
and reliability are greatly valued and are key to the success of the blood donation
process.
The advantages of being a Blood donor besides being a Hero:
- Free annual wellness exam including vaccines, tick and flea preventatives and dewormer.
- Free annual recheck: full bloodwork, urinalysis, fecal + PCR tick borne diseases
- Every donation, the blood donor will receive a bag of the donor’s favorite
Next Steps
The potential donor will undergo a thorough evaluation by the OSU Small Animal Blood
Bank Team, following these steps:
-
Initial Interview: The donor's current and past medical history will be reviewed, which can be done conveniently via a phone call.
-
Physical Examination and Testing: A comprehensive physical examination will be conducted, alongside complete blood work and an infectious disease screening panel to ensure the donor's health and safety.
-
Species-Specific Screenings:
- Dogs: In-house testing for tick-borne diseases.
- Cats: Testing for Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).
-
Further Diagnostics: A PCR panel will be sent out for additional testing, and blood typing will be performed to ensure compatibility.
Other Information
- After been elected as a blood donor, the donor’s owner will receive a call to schedule the donation – this could be as frequent as every 60-90 days.
- Upon arrival the donor will be evaluated again (physical exam, blood draw to recheck PCV/TS and for crossmatch if needed)
- The blood donation usually takes 15-20 min but all the process could take around 1-2 hours since the donor would be monitored after donation and offered a meal.