Dog Blood Donation – How Doggie Donors Can Help Save Lives
By Jamie Eaton Volunteer, Lucky Dog Animal Rescue; Apprentice, Kissable Canine
I had never given any thought to dogs and their blood prior to my Lucky Dog Bryn being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness in August. I can now say from personal experience that there is a severe shortage of blood available for transfusions. Because it can be difficult to successfully cross-match a unit of donor blood to the recipient, it can be very to find blood for your pup in an emergency situation.
Bryn’s Story
Bryn was only 2 ½ years old when she was diagnosed with Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia (ITP) – a condition that causes the immune system to see its own platelets as enemy invaders and kill them off. After noticing Bryn’s gums bleeding slightly, and later a few drops of blood in her urine, I took her to the vet for evaluation. When the vet noticed a low platelet count, she was concerned it might be ITP, and sent us to South Paws Animal Hospital in Fairfax, VA for further testing.
Normal platelet levels for dogs are 250,000-500,000. ITP is typically diagnosed when platelet levels fall below 50,000. At 3 pm Bryn’s platelet count was 123,000 and by 9 pm it had fallen to 28,000. Platelets are instrumental in clotting, and because her levels dropped so low, Bryn had uncontrollable hemorrhaging. She needed a blood transfusion to survive long enough to allow intravenous steroids to begin to suppress her immune system in order to halt the attack on her platelets. South Paws tested Bryn against their entire blood supply and found only two units of compatible blood for her in-house. Dogs don’t have blood types like humans, and each donor and recipient must be matched based on a series of factors including varying levels of antigens present in the blood. The test to cross-match includes incubating donor and recipient serum and red blood cells and looking for a reaction outside of the body that indicates an increased risk of a reaction inside the body if the transfusion is given.
Bryn’s body accepted the first unit, and though the second unit appeared to be a match, her body still rejected it. South Paws assured me that they could find additional blood in the area, but it was a time consuming process for a time sensitive condition. Over the next 24 hours Bryn was happy and playful one hour, and unable to lift her head off the ground the next. In the end, she was unable to be saved due to the severity of her illness and she passed away a mere 24 hours after being diagnosed.
Dog Blood Banking
As the vet walked me through Bryn’s need for a blood transfusion, I learned that there is a blood banking system for veterinary patients similar to human blood banking. Donor blood can be banked at four regional blood banks in the U.S. According to the Eastern Veterinary Blood Bank (EVBB), located in Severna, Maryland, “A single donation can be used to save up to four lives, because the blood can be separated into two components, red blood cells and plasma.” The blood components are then used for dogs that have suffered a traumatic injury, have blood-destroying diseases, or will be undergoing surgery where excessive bleeding may occur. Locally, most veterinary offices then use the blood from these banks. A few veterinary hospitals, such as South Paws, also have the capability to call on pre-cleared local animals to donate when their supplies run low.
The screening process for donor dogs is fairly extensive. The requirements for blood donation at EVBB include a commitment to donate 5-7 times per year. Donor dogs must be maintained on heartworm preventative; current with their regular veterinarian’s preventive health and vaccination schedule; have no history of serious disease; and cannot be on medication. Donors must weigh 35 pounds or more and be between the ages of 9 months and 7 ½ years.
EVBB donors are offered several benefits. Donors receive a physical examination prior to each donation and for each unit of blood donated, are eligible to receive one unit of blood or plasma should illness or injury ever warrant its use. Donors also receive an EVBB tag identifying them as a blood donor, aiding in the tracing process if the owner is otherwise unreachable.
Donation only takes 10-20 minutes and there’s no need for sedation. In fact, donor dogs hop right up when the collection is finished – no need for juice and cookies like their human counterparts. Each dog can only donate once every 2 months, and the blood only stays good for 3-4 weeks, contributing to the overall shortage.
The Need is Great
While I lost my girl, there will be others like her that will have the opportunity to survive if they have access to the blood they need. I would urge any owner with a healthy dog that meets the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) standards to have them screened and qualified as blood donors.
We all have special relationships with our pups. In my 20 months with Bryn, it’s an understatement to say she truly changed the course of my life. I had been looking for a new career and purpose, and she led me down the path of becoming a dog trainer. She taught me patience that had eluded me previously. But far and away, her biggest gift to me was the opening of my heart to love her unconditionally. Bryn was loved by all that knew her, and she will be missed.
In honor of all the Lucky Dogs out there, give your pups a hug and kiss from me in her memory. And if you’re able, consider having them screened as blood donors so they can help saves the lives of other dogs, just like their lives were saved by rescue.
For more information on Bryn’s illness, Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia, visit http://www.gopetsamerica.com/dog-health/canine-idiopathic-thrombocytopenia.aspx . And stay tuned for Lucky Dog-sponsored events to raise awareness of dog blood donation in the coming months!