Pet Blood Bank – Greyhounds Donating Blood

Pet Blood Bank :: Information

The following information has been provided by Pet Blood Bank UK and is reproduced here with their permission.

Please note that for point 9 below in the “Owner information, Donor Criteria” section the stand position is acceptable for Greyhounds if they are not keen to lay down.

Due to circumstances we have been unable to support ‘Pet Blood Bank’ by having sessions at our current centre.  We do encourage families who adopt through us to consider enrolling their greyhound and taking part regularly.  We hope in the future we will be able to support ‘Pet Blood Bank’ again, when we have our own premises and have the necessary room to help once again.

DONATION DAY – WHAT TO EXPECT

Appointment

– Before your dogs lifesaving donation we will send you a donor information pack this includes a Consent Form and Donor Health Check Form please complete these and bring them with you to your appointment (Spare forms are available on the day). If for any reason you are unable to attend please contact us so that your appointment can be given to another donor.

On Arrival

– You will be greeted by the venue staff hosting the donation session and be asked to weigh your dog with the staff member as part of our initial checks.
Health Check (15 mins)

– One of the qualified PBB veterinary surgeons and a PBB animal care assistant will check through your paperwork, perform a full physical examination of your dog and take the initial pre-screening blood samples to allow us to determine your dogs health status – Please ask any questions you may have at this time, the PBB staff will be happy to help. We will also at this stage clip a small amount of hair approx. 5cm square from the donation site on the neck and apply local anaesthetic cream.

Greyhound Lifeline Donors 20.11.11

Mex, Delta and Gamma model their neck bandages and seasonal wear.

If your pet passes the initial health checks, you will be shown through to the donation area – Please inform a member of PBB staff if you DO NOT wish to be present at your dog’s donation.
Donation (15 mins)

–The PBB veterinary team will decide which position is best for your dog’s donation; normally lying on their side on the table is comfortable for everyone. It will always be necessary for the trained staff to hold your dog during the donation for health and safety reasons, but you will be welcome to stay.

The PBB team will talk you through the donation whilst monitoring your dog. The clipped area will be cleaned with cleansing solution and the needle placed into the jugular vein. (A sterile single use blood collection bag will be used for the blood collection).

Pet Blood Bank donation

PBB nurses prepare our donor and keep him relaxed.

Depending on the weight of your dog a pre-agreed amount of blood will be drawn approx 450ml, the donation takes 5-10 minutes. The needle will be removed from the vein and a dressing will be applied to the site of venipuncture to help reduce the risk of bruising.
Refreshments (10 mins)

– After donation we like dogs to stay within the donation venue for a short while to have a drink, something to eat and to be observed by the PBB staff. If your dog has a sensitive tummy or is fussy with food please bring a small amount of their own food to eat after the donation. Your dog will receive a Goodie Bag which includes an “I’m a Lifesaver” Bandana and Tag to thank them for joining Harry’s Heroes.

Post Donation

– You will receive a call from one of the PBB staff within a few days of your dog donating and paperwork relating to the donation will be sent to you and your veterinary practice. Please refer to the post donation instruction sheet for full details of post donation precautions.
Your dog’s donation will help treat up to four other dogs!

OWNER INFORMATION – DONOR CRITERIA

Just as in human blood donation, there are certain criteria that your dog must meet to enable safe blood donation.

Your dog must:

  1. Be aged between 1 and 8 years
  2. Weigh over 25kgs – 55lbs bodyweight
  3. Be in good general health
  4. Be up to date with vaccinations
  5. Not be taking certain medications (see exclusions information)
  6. Have no history of Heart Murmur or Seizures (fainting episodes)
  7. Have no history of travel abroad
  8. Have not received a blood transfusion
  9. Have a good temperament and be able to lie quietly for a tummy rub for 5-10 minutes while blood is donated

In return your dog will receive:

  1. A full physical health check by one of the PBBUK vets
  2. Blood Screening – Full Haematology & Biochemistry to check internal health status
  3. Blood typing
  4. Free Microchip if your dog does not already have one
  5. A Goodie Bag with an Exclusive Pet Blood Bank UK Lifesaver Bandana and Tag!
PBB blood donation white donor

A happy donor gains a new toy and a bandana, treats for later too.

Suitable candidates for blood donation will have a small patch of hair shaved from their neck and donate 400-500ml depending on bodyweight. Dogs suffer no ill effects from donating but some may want to take it easy for a few hours post donation.

We ask all donors once enrolled on the programme to commit to donating 3-4 times a year. One donation can help save the lives of up to four dogs.

Please contact Pet Blood Bank UK for further information on how your dog could join Harry’s Heroes.

POST DONATION INSTRUCTIONS

After donation be sure to take a few precautions to make sure your pet is not affected from donating his or her lifesaving gift!

Allow access to fresh, clean drinking water. A dog should drink approximately four cups of additional water after donating.

Normal feeding regimes should be kept to before and after donation. We would advise against a change in food type or a larger meal than normal – especially if the donation is later in the day.
Please keep the bandage on and dry for at least 30 minutes and not more than 1 hour after donation. This will prevent bruising and swelling at the donation site.

fawn blood donor Pet Blood Bank

Honey after donating, she just saved 4 canine lives!

Do not put undue pressure on your dog’s donation site. Refrain from using choke or pinch collars for 12 hours after donation. Flat collars are acceptable and do not cause any problem after donation.

We would suggest your dog rests for the evening after donation and any strenuous exercise is avoided. However the day after donation, your dog may continue with his or her normal activities including agility training, walking, swimming, retrieving or obedience work. If your dog seems to be tired or uninterested allow him or her to rest and please contact us.

A small amount of bruising at the site of donation is not abnormal. However, if the bruising is extensive, the area is swollen or painful, please contact us.

Please contact us if your pet shows any signs of being unwell within a 2 week period after donating as this may require us to isolate your dog’s blood depending on the symptoms he or she is showing.

Our Contact Numbers: 01509 232222 or 0844 8009925 (5p/min)

Risks:

The most common risk associated with blood donation is bruising at the site of venipuncture or the formation of a Haematoma (large blood blister) at the site. These problems are self limiting and pose no serious harm to your pet.

It is also possible that your pet may experience re bleeding at the venipuncture site. The likelihood of this may be reduced by not using a lead on your pet’s collar for the rest of the day following donation. If such bleeding occurs it will generally stop in a very short time with the application of direct pressure and is not life threatening unless your animal has an underlying clotting disorder.

It is possible that but rare for your pet to develop an inflamed area of skin around the venipuncture site. This is usually a reaction to the cleansing solution or clippers and occurs most commonly in animals with sensitive skin. We term this a “hot spot” and it is readily treatable with no lasting harm to your pet. However, let us know and we can modify our methods at subsequent donations to try and minimise the risks of it developing again.

In rare circumstances animals may experience a bit of “faintness” after donation. Fluids may be administered IV or a drink given if this happens and strict rest instituted. Promptly attended this poses low risk to your pet.

In human blood donor programmes there have rarely been serious events associated with blood donation including serious infections, heart attacks and death. These have to be stated as remote risks.

At present Pet Blood Bank Services Limited is not aware of any such problems in the veterinary literature.

Your pet’s efforts will help treat up to four other dogs! Thank you for allowing your pet to donate the gift of life today. Encourage others to allow their pets to donate. Look for our next blood collection session in your area on www.petbloodbankuk.org

One thought on “Pet Blood Bank – Greyhounds Donating Blood

  1. As greyhounds are hyper-sensitive to anaesthetics is it safe for them to be blood donors. I was told that a dog needs a mild sedative before donating blood.

We would love to hear from you, please leave a comment or if you have any questions please enter them into the comments section.
Thank you - Greyhound Lifeline
We don't like spam either, please see our privacy policy
Gravatar supported, get your own Gravatar from www.gravatar.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *