Canine Blood Donors-Would you do it?

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Well I don't ever have to answer that question because Tara is too little. It appears there is a 55 or 60 pound minimum weight. What do you think about having your Doodle donate blood either by being on call for emergencies or donating to a canine blood bank?

Is there any one here who is already donating?

It was almost closing time at our clinic when a woman ran into our waiting room screaming that she had just found a dog lying in the street who had been hit by a car. The veterinary technicians rushed the dog into the clinic on a stretcher. "Lucky" was alive, but he was in shock and unable to move. We immediately began treatment to stabilize him, provide pain relief and treat his wounds.

Despite administering large volumes of fluids and drugs to treat the shock, Lucky's gums remained pale and his abdomen tender. An ultrasound revealed fluid in his abdomen; a stomach tap told us this fluid was blood. Lucky's spleen had ruptured and we had to remove it immediately or he would die. He would also die if we didn't have enough blood available to transfuse him during and after the surgery - and we didn't. We had exactly one unit of blood, and the nearest emergency hospital that could supply us with the blood we needed was three hours away. Thankfully, one of our technicians, Dawn, is the parent of a young, healthy Great Dane named Nathaniel who she volunteered as a blood donor. Dawn ran home to get Nathaniel while we prepped Lucky for emergency surgery.

Requirements:

• Healthy and Happy
•  Greater than 60 lbs
•  Between 1-6 yrs old
•  Able to lay still for 10 minutes

There are a few other requirements regarding vaccinations and such too.

Oh, and Lucky survived thanks to Nathaniel's donation! :)

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

It does say a pint on the page I provided the link to but it must be an error. It just doesn't seem reasonable. This makes more sense.

[F, Calla & Luca]

That is about a pint : )

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Oh, I didn't do the math. I thought you meant it was the equivalent of a human giving a pint. Okay well, in that case it still seems like too much! :)

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Here is a video about canine donors. For some reason I can't get it to embed so all I can offer the the link. But it does say that the Golden is donating "a half a unit or maybe more".  Also, I think at least one of the donors in the video is a DOODLE!!! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn_ePs8mctM

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It looked like they were taking it from his neck! Is that right?

[F, Calla & Luca]

It looks like they go for the jugular vein, literally : )

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Yes, I read that they take it from the neck!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Interesting Ricki.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I'd probably have to keep my eyes closed.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yeah, that bothered me. I wonder if it is any more painful for the dog than when they put a line in the leg, which doesn't seem to bother them.

[F, Calla & Luca]

No reason it should be.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I don't think so. For some reason the vet has trouble getting blood from my cat's legs. Sometimes she ends up taking it from her neck. It doesn't seem to bother the cat but boy do I have trouble with it!