Call for canine blood donors on World Blood Donor Day

Image of a canine blood donors with his owner along with a dog who was saved by blood transfusion with her owner.
Canine blood bank donor Bronson (left) and his owner Andrea and Courtney with her dog Sophi who was saved by a blood transfusion after eating rat poison.

This Wednesday, 14 June marks the World Health Organization’s Blood Donor Day, providing an opportunity to recognise the valuable gift of blood donation, including for our pets.

As for humans, blood transfusions are of vital importance for the survival of many sick or critically injured dogs.

The Blood Donor Programme at the University of Melbourne U-Vet Animal Hospital in Werribee is now seeking large breed dogs as potential new blood donors.

Blood Donor Program coordinator Kerry Bozicevic said: “The contribution of pet owners volunteering their dogs to donate blood is an irreplaceable life-line for many sick and injured dogs.”

“We need regular donors to ensure our 24-hour emergency and critical care has a blood supply available for immediate use."

The Blood Donor Programme at U-Vet is the only Victorian Veterinary Clinic to process blood donations into plasma and red cells, so one donation can potentially save three lives.

“The products are used to treat patients on-site at the clinic," Ms Bozicevic said. "They can be used to treat various conditions, from clotting problems to blood loss from trauma and disease.

“One of our recent patients was Sophi, a three year old cocker spaniel who accidentally ate rat poison. She was critically ill when her owners brought her in, but luckily we were able to save her with a blood transfusion from a six year old Neopolitan mastiff called Bronson.”

For a dog to be a potential blood donor she/he needs to:

  • Be between one and seven years old and weigh more than 25kg
  • Have a good temperament (to be able to lay still for 10-15 minutes)
  • A known health and travel history
  • Be fully vaccinated and dewormed
  • Not have received a blood transfusion.

If you have a dog that fits the blood donor criteria, please contact:

The Blood Donor Programme at U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital, 250 Princes Highway Werribee VIC 3030,Phone: +61 3 9731 2328

Email:  UOM-Blood-Donor-Program@unimelb.edu.au

U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital runs one of the first centres for veterinary emergency and critical care in the country. Its emergency room is staffed to see sick pets 24 hours, every day of the year, with about 20,000 patients annually.