Canine Blood Donors

Photo: Albert Lozano

With the improved technology out on the market, pet blood banks are on the rise. Surgeries are more common than ever and having extra blood on hand can make all the difference.

Blood Banks

Now, dogs are donating blood in order to give other dogs an improved quality of life. Most dog blood donation programs have strict requirements so that the donor is kept in the best condition for donating.

Some of the requirements include:

• Dogs should be between 1 to 8 years old.
• Dogs must weigh around 50 pounds but, the weight will vary with blood banks.
• Blood is drawn from the jugular vein in the neck.
• Dogs should be between 1 to 8 years old.
• They must be able to lay still for 10 minutes.
• They must be current with their vaccinations.

Dogs are fed after the procedure and recover much more quickly than humans. They don't feel faint or dizzy. If the donor is a cat, they must be sedated before donating.

It's ideal if your dog has the universal blood type which is known as DEA 1.1. Dog breeds known for having this blood type are Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. About 450mL of blood is collected during the donation.

Pet Blood Donation Websites

Pet Aid in Burlington New Jersey
Banner's Blood Bank (Oregon)
Blue Ridge Eastern Veterinary Blood Bank Virginia
Critical Care Vets in Washington State
Washington State University
Animal Blood Register, Hertfordshire, UK
Iowa Veterinary Specialties, Des Moines, IA
Pet Blood Bank United Kingdom
Hemo Solutions, Colorado Springs, CO
Animal Blood Banks in California
HemoPet, Garden Grove, California
Oakland Veterinary Services, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Dove Lewis, Portland, Oregon
Chicago Veterinary Emergency, Chicago, IL
Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists, Florida

These are just a fraction of the pet blood banks that are now everywhere. The Association of Veterinary Hematology and Transfusion Medicine is also a good resource to find blood banks.

Let's Discuss!

Has your dog been a blood donor or ever needed a blood transfusion?

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The Oscar Foundation

The Oscar Foundation

When I was a kid, my dog Casey would greet us when we would come home from school. One day, Casey got hit by a car when he went outside. His injuries were massive, including a broken hip. We weren't sure if he would walk again, and it took two months for him to be able to walk again. Even so, he walked with a limp. At that time, dog wheelchairs or carts were not available.

Sometimes, when you own a dog, there are times when a dog will need surgery such as Casey's and the costs are not affordable. This was the case with Oscar. Oscar was found in a dumpster at only eight weeks old with his body shattered and his jaw broken. After considerable surgery Oscar was able to walk but it was decided that using a cart would give him the best quality of life.

The Oscar Foundation was established to help pet owners who are in similar situations to have the opportunity to afford these complex surgeries. Their application has strict requirements and will give a person the chance to give their pet the care they need when there is no where else to turn.

If you would like to learn more, you can learn more through their website. Since this is a non-profit organization, they will accept donations as well.

Let's Discuss!

Have you had a dog in your life that needed a serious operation like Oscar or Casey?

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George Washington and General Howe's Dog

Today, we celebrate President's Day in the United States. Many of our presidents have had dogs over the years. George Washington, our first president was known to be an avid dog lover and happened to also breed fox hounds. In his lifetime, he had owned over 50 dogs. One of his best known dogs was named Sweet Lips, a fox hound that had even accompanied him into battle.

The Battle of Germantown

On October 6, 1777, while the Americans were fighting the British in the battle of Germantown, a dog happened to wander over enemy lines. After examining its collar, it turned out that the dog belonged to General Howe.

Some of the soldiers wanted to keep it to have an upper hand over the British, however, George Washington refused. He believed that no dog shouldn't be away from his owner and wrote a letter to General Howe explaining how he was returning the dog back to him.

The Aftereffects

This is a significant story in history because after this instance General Howe's attitude changed towards the colonists. Even though he won the battle in Germantown, he didn't stay in the war much longer. William Howe was known to be indolent and laid back.Asking to be relieved on his duties on October 22, in response to the criticism of his fellow Englishmen, he asked to be relieved of his duties. By May of 1778, he resigned from his post. One wonders how much a factor George Washington's selfless act played into his decision.

Let's Discuss

What's your favorite historical story about dogs?

Learn More About This

George Washington and General Howe's Dog by Caroline Tiger
About.com

Ozzy Helps The Police

Sometimes the smallest of gestures can mean the most in life. It all started when Ozzy Osborne's son Jack appeared in a reality show called Armed and Famous. The purpose of the show was having a celebrity interact with a local police department. The police department that was part of this show, was located in Muncie, IN. Muncie is a small town that is probably best known for Ball State University. David Letterman went to Ball Stage but I never really heard of Muncie until I went for a technical theatre job interview while I was in college.

Well, now that I've gotten off the beaten path, it's time to get back on. It turns out that Muncie's oldest living police dog Rover, was being retired by the police force. He is a thirteen-year-old dog that was thriving beyond his years compared to other police dogs. Most police dogs retire at age eight or nine.

The Muncie Police Department had suffered many cutbacks. They originally had six dogs but went down to three because of budget cuts. Police dogs are much better at catching bad guys than some police officers. Their intimidation factor alone can be very powerful.

Jack Osbourne had a great experience with this department during his reality show days. Working with the Muncie police department changed his life. He is now looking into working as a police officer in the state of California.

Since the show ended, he kept in contact with one of the officers, Sargeant Jay Turner. Jack was a big part of the K-9 training in their department and forged a true appreciation for these incredible dogs. When Sargent Turner mentioned to him about Rover retiring, Jack knowing that they needed help asked his dad if he would be willing to help them. Ozzy was more than happy to help their department by footing the $10,000 to get them a new police dog.

The dog is being trained in Denver, Indiana and is expected to arrive at the end of this week. The dog will be named Ozzy of course. To help cover the new dog's costs like food and vet exams, the Fraternal Order of Police will be holding a fundraiser to defray the costs from the taxpayers.

I think this is wonderful. It's a small gesture of kindness that can go a long way. Everyone benefits and that's always a good thing. Well, what do you guys think?

As always, thanks for stopping in.

Another Article of Interest:
Police Dogs