Animals donate blood to save furry friends
Brianne Chilleo had her greyhound, Tyler, tested to be a blood donor.
Kobi, owned by Ashley Perry, is screened as a possible blood donor at University Veterinary Specialists.
Ashley Perry had her dog, Kobi, and cat, Lily, screened to be blood donors at University Veterinary Specialists.
Macey, an Irish setter owned by Brianne Chilleo, was screened to become a blood donor.
Brianne Chilleo knows all too well the importance of having blood available when a pet has a medical emergency.
As a certified veterinary technician at University Veterinary Specialists in Peters Township since it opened just over a year ago, the Bridgeville woman has seen the need to have blood on hand. That is why her dogs, a 2-year-old greyhound named Tyler and a 6-year-old Irish setter named Macey, are blood donors in the blood bank started several months ago by the staff at UVS.
Recently, a kitten found in critical condition along the side of a road in West Virginia was brought to UVS for treatment that included an emergency blood transfusion.
Shelly Frye, veterinary technician at UVS, and Maureen Fallon, a clinical manager, coordinate the blood bank. Health screenings for potential donors are usually held monthly on a Saturday afternoon after approved donors give blood in the morning.
“It is unique, although it is done in a few hospitals,” Fallon said of the blood bank. “Not many hospitals stock blood for immediate use.”
Frye said some hospitals, if they need blood, try to find employees who are willing to allow blood to be drawn from their pets.
There are companies that supply blood, but there can be a wait of three weeks.
There can be any number of reasons why a pet might need blood, including trauma and certain types of cancers. If the animal has ingested rat poison, whole blood is ideal for the transfusion, Frye said. Some animals just need plasma, and others just need red blood cells. Once collected, if the blood is going to be separated into cells and plasma, it has to be done within six hours. Cat blood is kept as whole blood.
Frye said some dogs require mild sedation to give blood, while others do without. Cats, she said, always need to be sedated. If all goes smoothly, the collection is done from the animal’s jugular vein and only takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
“We try to make it less stressful for them,” Frye added. “It does not harm them. We keep it calm and as quiet as possible. We even play some music.”
Chilleo said neither of her dogs minds the procedure.
“My greyhound sleeps through it,” Chilleo said. “My setter is very relaxed.”
She said her dogs can donate every three months. She decided to enlist them in the program because they are young and healthy.
Right now, the facility has about two dozen approved donor dogs and about eight cats.
“For humans, the blood is drawn and tested later,” Fallon said. “In the pets, we test them first to make sure they can be approved as a donor.”
“There is a very real need for it,” she said.
There are donor requirements. Dogs must be between 1 ½ to 7 years old, weigh at least 60 pounds, be on heartworm prevention medication and be up-to-date on vaccinations. They also must not have a history of serious health issues and not be on antibiotics, aspirin, antihistamines or steroids. The dogs also should have happy demeanors. Cats must be an indoor animal between 1 and 8 years old and weigh at least 10 pounds. They also must be current on their vaccinations. Dog and cat donors cannot have had previous blood/plasma transfusions, or be pregnant or lactating. Information gathered through the screening is sent to the pet’s veterinarian for their records.
Donor pets get a physical exam and annual blood work. The owner gets a $50 voucher to use toward preventative pet care at their own veterinarian’s office, and the donor pet gets a treat bag.
Pets should not receive food for eight hours before a screening or donation.
Like humans, cats have specific blood types. Dog blood types are more universal.
For more information on the blood bank and screenings, call 724-717-2273 or check their Facebook page at University Veterinary Specialists. Screenings and blood collection is usually done once a month.