Blood Donor Program

LVMC Animal Blood Bank

Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center Animal Blood Bank was established in 1998. Donor dogs and cats are owned by students and staff at Iowa State, and local community members.

The blood products are only used for ISU Veterinary Medical Center patients and other pets in the community.

Some instances when our companion animals might require a blood transfusion include:

• Trauma
• Surgery
• Exposure to rodenticides or other toxins (poisons)
• Anemia

Our blood bank provides numerous canine and feline blood products:

• Packed red blood cells
• Fresh frozen plasma
• Cryoprecipitate
• Whole blood

Our donor selection and screening protocols, follow the blood banking guidelines set by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (see consensus statements).

Canine blood donor requirements:

• Greater than 50 pounds
• 1–6 years of age
• Spayed/Castrated
• Acceptable temperament
• Current on vaccinations
• Have never received a blood transfusion
• Not used for breeding
• Not taking any medications except heartworm or flea/tick preventative
• Successfully complete the free donor screening process

Feline blood donor requirements:

• Greater than 10 pounds
• 1–6 years of age
• Spayed/Castrated
• Acceptable temperament
• Current on vaccinations
• Have never received a blood transfusion
• Not used for breeding
• Not taking any medications except flea/tick preventative
• Successfully complete the free donor screening process

Benefits provided to blood donor animals by the VMC

• Food (Purina or Hill’s)
• Routine vaccinations
• Heartworm testing & preventative
• Flea/tick preventatives
• Bloodwork, urinalysis and fecal tests as covered in the screening process
• Preventative health examinations
• Full annual physical exam by a licensed veterinarian

Flea/tick preventives provided by Elanco.

Frequent Questions

How much blood is collected?

• Cats donate 60mL
• Dogs donate 450mL

How often can my pet donate?

• Cats can donate every 8 weeks
• Dogs can donate every 4 weeks

Does this procedure require sedation?

• Light sedation may be used for the donation process