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Dog Blood Donors - Let Your Dog Be a Hero

Published: 10/20/2009 by Tim Brown www.pet-super-store.com

Dog Blood Donors - Let Your Dog Be a Hero

We’re used to participating in blood drives, especially after a natural disaster or major event, because we understand that blood transfusions save human lives. Blood is needed whenever there is significant blood loss caused by trauma or surgery. What about when our pets need blood? Did you know that they too need blood available for them when they have surgery, accident, or illness? There is a critical need for pet blood because it is not widely understood that pet owners can bring in their pets to donate blood to this cause. Just like we depend on human blood donors, blood banks for dogs depend on other dogs to donate blood.

Veterinary blood banks are a fairly new phenomenon (within the last 10 years) that most people don’t know about. Sometimes dogs need emergency blood transfusions and there are 13 different blood types of dogs. Several regional animal blood banks have opened in order to supply blood products to Veterinary hospitals. Because our dogs are just like our family members, owners now more than ever are willing to do whatever it takes to take care of their best friends when they are ill or if surgery is needed. Pet Health insurance is more readily able and mainstream now, so pet owners are better able to afford the cost of the recommended treatment.

So how did dogs get the need they needed before there were animal blood banks? Veterinarians actually had to use their own dogs or ask friends, staff members and others to let them borrow their dogs to acquire the blood they needed for a pet’s surgery.

If you’re thinking about allowing your dog to donate blood for use in an animal blood bank, here are some guidelines for who they’ll accept as a donor:

Dog must be healthy and vaccinated.
Dog must have good temperament and calm enough to lie still on its side for 15 minutes.
Dog must have no history of having received a blood transfusion.
Dog must not be on any medications.
Female dogs should have a history of no pregnancies.
Dog must fall within age and weight requirements as follows:
Between the ages of 1 and 9 years old and weigh at least 50 pounds.
Between the ages of 1 and 7 years old weigh over 50 pounds.
Between the ages of 9 months and 7-1/2 years old and weigh 35 pounds or more.
Between the ages of 1 and 6 years old and weigh at least 55 pounds.
Between the ages of 2 and 6 years old and weigh more than 55 pounds.
Less than 8 years old and weigh at least 55 pounds.

Veterinarians feel that the best dog blood donors are larger breeds of dog who have a universal blood type. About 40% of the general dog population has the universal blood type and Greyhound dogs are 60% likely to be universal blood types. Only dogs that have a universal blood type are used as donors.

Most animal blood banks rely on voluntary blood donations and hold regular blood drives similar to the way the Red Cross holds blood drives for people. Other regional animal blood banks keep a stable of dogs in their own onsite kennels to use for blood collection. These in-house dogs are donated by local shelters who would rather retire the dogs to a blood bank than have to euthanize them if they don’t get adopted. The blood bank uses the dogs as blood donors for a period of time and then tries to find them permanent homes.

Provided by Tim Brown of www.pet-super-store.com: where you can find deals on orthopedic dog beds http://www.pet-super-store.com/pet-supplies/orthopedic-dog-beds and dog car seats http://www.pet-super-store.com/pet-supplies/dog-car-seats/