ERIN – It’s a job for the big dogs, and 10 of them were signed up when Wingrove Veterinary Hospital hosted its most recent blood donor clinic on Oct. 9.
“The Canadian Animal Blood Bank is a not-for-profit organization that collects blood from healthy dogs to transfuse into critically ill animals across Canada,” Wingrove practice manager Arlene Fritz explained in an email to the Advertiser.
The vet hospital hosted its first blood donor clinic for dogs in 2023, and continues to hold clinics about every three months.
“We thought that this was another great way to help other dogs in need,” Fritz stated.
“It is a great organization that saves lives; being a part of this initiative is our way of supporting this life-saving and supporting cause.”
The blood bank partners with some veterinary clinics that can act as emergency depots to increase the availability of blood products after hours.
Other vet clinics – like Wingrove – help by hosting donor clinics and recruiting owners with qualified dogs to participate.
Fritz said Wingrove spreads the word internally with its clients, and also in the community through social media.
The blood bank also has a list of donors with whom they share information and keeps a list of hospitals hosting clinics on its website, so people can book appointments.
Owners of potential donors are asked to review a checklist.
The dog must be healthy and even-tempered; weigh at least 25 kilograms (55 pounds); be between one and eight years old; have up-to-date vaccinations; and it is recommended dogs be on heart worm and tick preventative medications.
“Then the dog is a potential donor,” stated Fritz, adding the dog’s veterinarian would complete a registration form confirming the pet meets the donor criteria.
The day of the donations, the dog receives a “complete blood count” test to check for anemia and any clotting disorders, as well as a test to screen for heartworm and tick-borne diseases.
Blood donations are used in critical care at emergency clinics, and can help dogs with a range of conditions, including rat-poison toxicity, anemia and parvovirus infections, as well as with cancer therapy and surgery for trauma, stated Fritz.
“Every unit of blood that is collected can help up to three dogs,” she stated.
Wingrove expects to host its next clinic in January.
Those interested in volunteering their pet to donate are encouraged to visit canadiananimalbloodbank.ca.
Each dog receives one complimentary blood product – should the need ever arise – for each unit of blood donated, as well as complimentary testing for blood-borne diseases.
