Did you know that cats and dogs can be blood donors to other cats and dogs? For cats the criteria to be a blood donor is that the cat must be between 1 year and 8 years old, and weigh at least 4kg. They should preferably be in indoor cat, otherwise they must be Feline Leukaemia and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus negative, be up to date with their vaccines and flea and worm treatment. They must never have been outside the UK and not be on any medication. They must be of good temperament and be easy to handle. They will undergo health checks for heart murmurs and haematology and biochemistry blood samples will be taken for analysis to make sure they are completely healthy.
In cats there are 3 different blood groups – A, B and AB. Most domestic cats are group A, along with all
Siamese cats. Pedigree cats are predominately group B.
To take the blood, the cat will be sedated and the blood will be taken from a vein in the neck. About 55ml
of blood is taken, and then exactly the same amount of electrolyte solution will be administered to the cat, to protect its blood pressure. For dogs the same criteria as for cats apply for them to become blood donors. 1 – 8 years old, weigh more than 25kg, be up to date with their vaccinations and flea and worm treatment, not be on any medication and never to have been outside the UK.
There are 2 blood groups in dogs – DEA1 Negative and DEA 1 Positive. 30% of dogs are negative so
they are the universal donor as negative blood can be given to positive dogs, but not the other way round. Large dog breeds are used, especially Greyhounds. Other breeds used are Dobermans, Boxers, German Shepherds, Retrievers, Airdale Terriers, Weimaraners, Lurchers, American Bulldogs, Pointers and English Bull Terriers.
The reason a cat or dog may need a transfusion are numerous. Some of the more common needs for a
transfusion are, anaemia, ruptured spleen, surgery when there is a large blood loss, rat poisoning, as this
causes internal bleeding, trauma, such as road traffic accidents, sepsis, cancer, kidney disease, infections and auto immune problems.
The red cells of blood cannot be stored for longer than 35 days, and then in a temperature controlled
fridge. However, the plasma part of the blood can be taken off and stored in a deep freeze for up to a year. The plasma contains all the clotting factors and is used for animals who have a problem with their blood clotting. There are few transfusion centres in the UK for animals, so most vets keep a list of dog or cat donors, and call on them when there is an emergency, As in humans,dogs and cats can give blood every 3-4 months. If you would consider your dog or cat to be a blood donor, speak to your vet.
For advice or information, or if you require help with the cost of neutering, please call us on 01842 810018.
Rita Thompson
