Blood Bank

Your dog or cat can give the gift of life to an animal that is sick or injured. Due to the nature of cases we see, the demand for blood products is always high. We rely on the help of willing canine and feline volunteers to keep our supply steady and help those animals in need. Donating to our Blood Bank at our sister hospitals in Chicago and Grayslake is safe and easy.

A single blood donation can save more than one life because both the red blood cells and the blood plasma are used. Submit the form on the sidebar on the right, a member of the hospital team will be in touch to set up an initial screening.

Requirements

Our canine and feline heroes must have certain physical characteristics and meet certain requirements to be considered for the blood donor program.

Dogs:

• Must weigh at least 50 pounds.
• Be between the ages of 1 and 7 years old.
• Must be on year-round heart worm preventative.
• Must be up to date on the following vaccinations: Adenovirus, Distemper, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, and Rabies.

Cats:

• Must weigh at least 10 pounds.
• Be between the ages of 1 and 8 years old.
• Must be an indoor-only cat.
• Must be up to date on the following vaccinations: Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Rabies, and Rhinotracheitis.
• Must be FeLV/FIV negative.

If your dog or cat meets the above criteria, various lab tests will be performed to ensure his/her health status and the safety of the blood donor pool. These tests are carried out at no cost to owners and will be repeated annually while a member of the blood donor program.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES FOR YOUR SPECIAL PET TO BE A HERO!

Drs. Krista Vernaleken and Lindsay Renzullo of Bulger Veterinary Hospital in Lawrence, MA recently discussed the subject of donating blood for dogs and cats in an episode of the PAWEDcast. More episodes, and the complete episode (which answers frequent pet owner questions) is available on our PAWEDcast landing page. The PAWEDcast is available on youtube, and wherever you listen to podcasts.