Feb 27, 2008 11:26 am US/Pacific
UC Davis Launches Canine Blood Donor Program
DAVIS (BCN) ―
The University of California, Davis launched a unique blood donor program Wednesday that aims to increase blood donations among a furry and four-legged demographic.
The university's School of Veterinary Medicine has created a canine blood donor program that allows dogs and dog owners to help save the lives of canine patients, according to the university.
Officials will screen a pool of approximately 1,200 pet dogs and law-enforcement canines this year, out of which 200 to 400 regular donors will be selected, the university announced.
"Each year, the teaching hospital provides 200 to 300 transfusions for dogs to treat conditions ranging from surgical complications to kidney failure," Sean Owens, the blood bank's medical director, said in a prepared statement. "This new donor program will allow us to develop a large, reliable source of blood products for our patients, without maintaining a colony of donor dogs here at the hospital."
Prior to the program, the university hosted 30 blood-donor dogs that would live at the hospital for a few years before being adopted out.
Potential donor dogs for the new program must be 1 to 8 years old, weigh at least 55 pounds and never have been pregnant, according to the university. Also, the dogs and their owners must live within 100 miles of the university to make donations practical.
A potential donor's first visit to the blood bank will include a health check and a unit of blood will be collected. Canines that are able to donate will return after two to three months for a half-hour donation visit. The initial health check is valued at $300, however all donor visits to the blood center will be free, according to the university.
Although dogs are able to donate blood monthly, regular donors are expected to visit the blood bank two to three times a year.
According to the university, the program aims to establish a mobile blood bank that could travel to canine events, boosting the convenience of donating.
To learn more about the blood donor program or to schedule a health-screening appointment for a dog, call the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at (530) 752-1393 ext. 421.
To learn how to adopt a retired canine blood donor, email caninebloodbank@gmail.com.
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