FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Are there any risks to my pet?

The careful screening process is an important safety measure. We would disqualify any donor who we think would have an adverse reaction to the process. Because cats require injections of drugs to make them very relaxed (a semi-anesthetic state), we are especially vigilant before, during and after the procedure. We give oxygen by mask to our feline donors and monitor their blood pressure throughout the process.

What happens during the donation?

Blood is drawn from the jugular vein (in the neck). About 450mls of dog blood (50mls from a cat) is collected over 10 – 15 minutes. A catheter is placed in the donor’s leg to give intravenous (in the vein) water/electrolyte solutions after the donation. This extra fluid represents the pet donor equivalent to a human donor “drinking a glass or two of orange juice” after a donation. (website link: Major and Marshall donate)

Can I be with my pet during the donation?

Years of experience has taught us that the well behaved family dog is quieter with us handling him during the donation. Cats are definitely best handled by our experienced crew during the donation. Also, because kitties are so small, there is little room for maneuvering as it is! (view feline donation). After the blood drawing is completed, we welcome you to come back and sit with your pet while he/she recovers from the sedation and receives fluids. Most pets are ready to go home as soon as one hour after the donation, although you should allow four hours in total.

How often can my pet donate?

Each donor must donate no more than once every 3 months (although most red blood cells are replaced by the pet’s own bone marrow as quickly as 3 days after donating). Our goal is to acquire more donors so eventually we only have to use each donor every 6 months.

Will I be expected to be on call 24 hours a day?

The donor family should be moderately flexible and should have easy access to transportation, as our call to you could come at any time in an emergency. We try to make the late night calls to our staff instead of our donor families, however sometimes we have to make an emergency call to our donor families when our staff pets are not available. Please let us know which hours during the day that you will accept emergency calls. We will be scheduling canine blood donations during the day. However, the donor family should be flexible.

Will my pet have to be shaved?

Yes. We need to shave some hair for the blood drawing (on the neck) and for the catheter (on a leg). The shaved areas will usually re-grow within 6 weeks; meanwhile your pet can boast that the bald areas are “badges of courage”!

Does he/she have to be sedated for the procedure?

When the blood drawing procedure is being done all cats and most dogs are given sedation (“happy drugs”) ahead of time to make the experience a non-stressful one.

Why not raw?

There is always a chance that uncooked food (especially meat) could contain bacteria. In a healthy animal with a strong immune system the raw food diet may be safe. Nonetheless, it is not uncommon for bacteria to enter the blood of healthy donors from food or other sources (such as after routine dentistry) without causing outward signs of illness. However, because all injured or ill pets may have a compromised immune system, we want to protect those patients who need to receive blood products from even the slightest chance of developing serious consequences if bacteria are present in the blood product.
(For more information: Why Not Raw?)