Canadian Animal Blood Bank says more blood supply from dogs needed

Animal blood clinics across the country continue to advocate for donors as blood supplies used to save dogs are running low.

Kristina Walker with Canadian Animal Blood Bank says just like donors with Canadian Blood Services, dogs too have universal blood donors and right now, they’re just not getting enough of them walking through their doors.

“We’re just trying to increase awareness and we’re really trying to expand, especially in the Calgary area, just getting more donors involved in the program,” Walker said.

On Sunday, the blood service held a blood drive at the VCA Canada Forest Lawn Animal Hospital on 36 Street S.E. in Calgary.

Blood collected from the clinic will help dogs that experience trauma such as being hit by a car, or who have gone through surgery.

In a rare case, Walker says some dogs may even have an immune illness such as a blood-borne disease in which the dogs “will break down their own red blood cells,” resulting in the dog needing a blood transfusion.

“Some things go wrong and they need blood to save their lives as well as people do,” she said.

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“We use a lot of blood in the Calgary area, especially at the specialty vet hospitals, so we try and get as many donors as we can out to make sure we have that blood for the dogs that need it.”

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Since 1996, Canadian Animal Blood Bank has been collecting blood from animals. Over that time, it’s seen more than 900 donors while collecting upwards of 23,000 blood donations.

During the extraction process, the technician will collect between 400 and 500 grams of blood. Each donation of blood can save up to three lives and can be stored in the fridge for up to five weeks.

However, Walker says it never lasts that long in storage.

“It’s very, very uncommon that I would have any blood even close to that long,” said Walker, who mentioned the blood is usually used up by week two.

The blood service says while it will take any blood, nearly 70 per cent of dogs are DEA 1 positive, however, what it is looking for are dogs with the universal DEA 1 negative blood types commonly found in several breeds such as huskies, Doberman Pinschers and Greyhounds.

Dog owner Brandi Quinn, who owns three greyhounds, says she has been bringing her dogs in for blood donations ever since one of her four-legged family members needed blood in an emergency.

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“Many years ago, I did have a dog that needed a blood transfusion due to a tick-born disease that he acquired before I got him,” Quinn said.

Since that day, she says she has brought her four dogs to give blood and knows for sure that one of her dogs’ blood has saved a life.

“I know that Rebel’s blood not too long ago helped a dog that was in a western veterinary clinic and the dog made it,” she said.

Another blood donation clinic is planned for next month. For more information on animal blood donations, visit the Canadian Animal Blood Bank.