‘The need is quite great’: Dog blood donations help save lives

Every day, ill and injured animals rely on blood donations, and yet most people don't realize blood drives happen in their communities.

Every day, ill and injured animals rely on blood donations to survive, yet many pet owners are unaware blood drives for dogs even take place in their communities.

On Wednesday, the Southern Alberta Veterinary Emergency (SAVE) clinic in Okotoks hosted a Valentine’s Day-themed canine blood drive in partnership with the Canadian Animal Blood Bank.

Thirteen dogs participated in the event.

Cheryl Brown, who works at SAVE, signed up three of her four dogs after seeing the demand for blood products firsthand.

“After working in a clinic, I’ve realized the need is quite great for canine blood,” she said.

However, not every dog is eligible to help.

Donors must meet specific criteria to ensure the process is safe.

“You have to be between one and eight years old, over 55 pounds, calm-mannered, up-to-date on all your vaccines and in good health,” Brown said.

The donor dogs were treated like royalty throughout the day, pampered with treats, ice cream and a festive photoshoot.

While each appointment lasts approximately 30 minutes to include a health check and blood typing, the actual procedure is fast.

“The initial blood draw only takes typically between three to five minutes, so it’s pretty quick. It doesn’t take too long. One donation can save up to three lives,” Brown said.

There are more than 12 blood groups for dogs.

At the start of each appointment, staff tests for the most vital one.

“The blood type that we test for is DEA 1, which is Dog Erythrocyte Antigen 1,” said Laurie Dyrgas, a regional veterinary technologist with the Canadian Animal Blood Bank.

“The reason we test for that one is because it is clinically significant. There’s a positive and a negative, with negative being our universal donor.”

Dyrgas noted there is a constant need for new donors because blood is used for a wide range of emergency and chronic medical conditions.

“Trauma, parvovirus, Von Willebrand disease, hemolytic anemia, cancer therapy treatments, toxicities. There’s lots of different uses for the blood,” Dyrgas said.

Pet owners looking for more information about donor registration or future clinic dates can visit canadiananimalbloodbank.ca.