Blood donor program for dogs

Your dog can save another’s life by donating blood through our UQ VETS Community Blood Donor Program.

Just like human blood donations, dog blood donations allow us to perform life-saving procedures, and every UQ VETS Hospital Hero donation has the potential to save two dogs’ lives.

We perform urgent blood product transfusions for immune-related conditions and a range of traumas such as injuries, or rat-bait ingestion and other toxicities. Your generosity ensures we always have ample blood products to hand for such emergencies.

Donation process

The blood donation process for dogs is similar to that of humans:

We assess the behaviour of eligible donors to determine if they’re suitable for the donation procedure.
We take a blood sample to screen for health issues and infectious diseases, and assess your dog’s overall health.
Successful candidates attend the UQ VETS Small Animal Hospital every three months to donate one unit (approximately 450 millilitres) of blood, which is separated into red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma.

As a thank you, we offer eligible donors:

a routine health exam before every donation
a three-month vet-recommended parasite protection at every donation
delicious canine-friendly treats during their visit
an annual complete health check
an annual general health profile and infectious disease blood screen
their photo displayed on our Hospital Heroes board in reception.

We currently do not require any new Hosptal Heroes for 2024. If you would like to enquire about our program in the future please reach out to us at uqvets.sa@uq.edu.au

What makes a dog eligible?

Blood type, age and temperament

Blood type

We blood-type all potential donors.

As with humans, dogs have different blood types and can experience adverse reactions if they’re transfused with an incompatible blood type.

Age

Dogs must be aged between one and six years to be eligible. Dogs are generally retired from the program when they turn eight.

During the first year of a dog’s life, its body systems and organs develop to be fully functional and healthy.

Each dog is different, and they must reach this level of physical maturity before they donate blood. Not all dogs are “ready” to donate by the time they are one, so we will help you decide if the time is right.

Temperament

Potential donors must be happy and healthy.

We will assess your dog for anxious or fearful behaviours, as they will need to lie still for a few minutes during the donation. We won’t force a dog to do something that makes them uncomfortable.

Weight and body conformation

Weight

To safely donate blood, donors must be in good body condition and not underweight or obese.

They must weigh between 25 kilograms and 70 kilograms.

Body conformation

Common anatomical features of certain breeds make blood collection difficult and/or not in a dog’s best health interest.

English Bulldogs and some other breeds are excluded from our donor program. We will advise you if your dog is unsuitable for this program.

Health

Vaccination and preventative healthcare

Donors must have a current vaccination status for distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza and parvovirus. You must wait four weeks after vaccination before your dog can safely donate.

Most infectious diseases in dogs are transmitted by fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. Some infectious agents can be transmitted to patients through blood transfusion.

For the safety of donors and recipients, your dog’s heartworm preventatives must be up to date. We strongly encourage flea and tick prevention.

Medications and general health

Your dog is ineligible to donate if it is currently taking any medication (such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs or antihistamines). You must wait 14 days after a course of medication finishes before your dog can donate.

Dogs are ineligible to donate if they have ever been diagnosed with:

heart murmur or other cardiac conditions
seizures or seizure-like activity
heartworm disease
chronic illness
a disease/condition that required a blood transfusion.

Non-desexed female dogs are not eligible to donate blood if they are in oestrus (heat).

If your dog has recently been unwell (coughing, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhoea etc), contact us to discuss their eligibility.

Help save a life

Your gift to our UQ VETS Community Blood Donor Program will help us ensure the continuation of this important program. Your generosity will save lives.

Give to our program.