How ‘Bout Them Dawgs Doggy Blood Donors

Dogs (not Dawgs) do it at the University of Florida’s small animal hospital, according to an article I recently read. They give blood donations a pint at a time like humans though the technicians tap the dog’s jugular vein in a process that only takes five minutes for the pooch. The blood can be used in a transfusion if another dog has suffered injury from being hit by a car, needs to undergo surgery, or is anemic. There is an animal blood bank right there in UF as part of their small animal medicine program. They have 58 doggie regulars who donate blood six times a year and most of them are faculty, staff, or student pets but some come from other owners. The blood is separated and packaged and frozen as red blood cells or plasma. Red blood cells last a month and plasma can be kept frozen for up to a year. The hospital performs about 15 transfusions each month and rarely runs out of blood. My dog Fred is not a potential donor because he is under the 50 pound weight minimum and unless he his zonked out on the sofa or some other piece of furniture he doesn't belong on, he isn't relaxed. He does like to ride in the car but just not for a visit to the vet. The other thing I read was that the UF animal hospital also includes a cat blood donation program though cat blood is in less demand. No Gator bloodletting was mentioned even though football season is upon us.