All you need to know about Pet Blood Donations

At Davies Veterinary Specialists, we actively support Pet Blood Bank. We regularly hold canine blood donation sessions at our Hitchin site.

Look out for posts on Facebook and Twitter about our next donation sessions.

What is Pet Blood Bank?

Pet Blood Bank is a registered charity which co-ordinates canine blood donations in the UK. It works in a similar way to the human blood service. Dog owners can register their pets to donate blood at any of the sessions Pet Blood Bank regularly run across the UK.

Pet Blood Bank run an average of five sessions a week at veterinary practices and kennels and have over 10,000 donors registered.

After each session, the blood is taken to the Pet Blood Bank processing centre in Loughborough where it is separated into red blood cells and plasma products, and then stored ready for despatch.

Last year, they sent out over 5,000 units of blood. Every unit of blood donated can help save four other lives, saving thousands of beloved pet’s lives every year.

Can my pet donate blood?

As long as your dog meets the following criteria, then they should be able to donate blood:

• Is fit and healthy
• Between one and eight years old
• Weighs more than 25kg
• Has a good temperament
• Has never travelled abroad
• Vaccinations are up to date
• Is not on any medication

To find out more about Pet Blood Bank and find when they are next in your area, visit: https://www.petbloodbankuk.org/

Doggy Dream Team and Pet Blood Bank have created an informative infographic to highlight the key facts about canine blood donation.

Image creative license to DoggyDreamTeam ©