Do you own a large dog or cat?

Dingle_berry

The veterinary hospital in Dublin have started taking blood donations. My own are too small but if anyone out there owns a large, well tempered dog please consider this All info can be found here: http://www.ucd.ie/vthweb/images/dog_donor_brochure.pdf

anniehoo

Well done Dingle Berry for highlighing this. UCD have been operating a Canine Blood Donor Bank for 5 years and is always looking for suitable donors. They do recruitment days and lots of people sign up for them,just like the human blood bank system works.

It's a vital, lifesaving service and people often don't realise dog's can and do need blood transfusions too.

ISDW

Its not just UCD, ask your own vet if they need donors, one of my huskies has been a donor at our local vets, it is a vital service.

toadfly

How large a dog does it have to be? Is it over a certain weight?

Tranceypoo

What a great idea, never even thought about it!!

I'm not in Dublin but as ISDW says I would certainly look into donating at one of the local vets, does anyone know how they asses the dogs, my older dog is v laid back but has a heart murmur, I wonder if this would make him ineligible (is that the word? Uneligible?)

anniehoo

TillyGirl wrote: »

How large a dog does it have to be? Is it over a certain weight?

For UCD its 25kg or above. Using larger breed dogs means you can get a full unit of blood (450ml). Red cells are kept for 35-42 days and plasma is stored for 5 years, so even if you dog donates once they potentially can still help another dog in 2018!!!

Tranceypoo wrote: »

does anyone know how they asses the dogs, my older dog is v laid back but has a heart murmur,

A full health checkup is done (including bloods) and they need to be in tip top shape to donate. Generally a dog with a heart murmur would be ineilgible as while the process is meant to be stress free, they wouldnt risk it with a dog with a murmur just in case.

There's a really good video about the UK process here

toadfly

That's my three out so. Its very interesting though and I would do it if I had a large dog.

Alun

The thread title mentions cats too, but there's no mention of cats in the link. So, are there cat blood donors too?

anniehoo

Alun wrote: »

The thread title mentions cats too, but there's no mention of cats in the link. So, are there cat blood donors too?

In UCD the weight minimum for cats to donate is >4-5kg The same rules apply that the cat must be fit and healthy. Cats are sedated though (not dogs) as you can imagine it would be near impossible to get blood from a cat without it. Cat blood isnt stored either, owners are just called as necessary as there'd be a lot less feline transfusions than canine.

doubter

good idea. will ask my vet too, 5 out of my 6 would be suitable as they are between 30 and 50 kg's...:-)

ISDW

They really do have to be rock steady dogs, as the blood is actually taken from their jugular vein, which was a bit of a shock when I picked her up, I thought she'd have a shaved leg, instead a big chunk of fur missing from her neck. But well worth doing, she got lots of attention, and some nice treats from the vet, and they gave her next vacc booster free of charge.

Tranceypoo

Well that's my two out, Archie with his heart murmur and Lil with her fear of vets, needles etc etc.

I do have a big fat cat that would probably be eligible, I just wonder if her fat laziness would be passed on to some poor unwitting moggy!

Crazyivan 1979

Never thought of this before, I have a rottie/ lab X (45 kg). He is prone to seizures and would have a constant level of anti-seizure meds (phenobarbitone) in his system, so I don't know if he would be eligible, but will check.

SillyMangoX

As far as I know donors can't be on any medication other than worm/flea treatments!