Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Banking blood for animals is a relatively
new concept. The history of human blood banking stretches back not even
one hundred years, but the first blood bank did not open its doors until
recently. Because of this, our experience to date has been that much of
our work involves community outreach and education. We thought, therefore,
that we’d share some of the more commonly asked questions we hear with you at
our blood drives and outreach presentations.
Question #1:
What fees are associated with blood? Do you charge for
blood?
While donated blood from our generous canine companion donors is free, there
are significant costs associated with collecting, testing, preparing components,
labeling, storing and shipping blood; recruiting, retaining, and educating
donors; and quality assurance. As a result, processing fees are charged to
recover these costs. Processing fees for individual blood components vary
considerably. Processing fees for one specific component also may vary in
different geographic regions. Veterinary hospitals and clinics may charge for any
additional testing that may be required, such as the cross-match, as well as for
the administration of the blood product itself. To ensure that no
individual person is profiting from the collection of processing fees, Sun States has been granted 501(c)(3) non-profit
status. We are an approved non-profit organization which we believe is crucial for us to have to continue our mission.
Question #2: What are some of the costs associated with
blood donations?
For starters, each blood donation is collected into a
special-purpose collection bag. These bags are the same bags used by human blood banks
because they preserve clotting factors as well as allow for sterile separation
of blood components in a closed collection system. Laboratory tests for
blood typing must be run for all new donors; a comprehensive battery of tests
are completed on every new donor and there is also periodic testing for various blood-borne diseases and parasites
as long as the donor remains active in our program.
Costs also include electricity, office space, insurance, telephones, and even informational brochures!
Question #3: Do dogs have different blood types? Are
they the same as human blood types?
Dog blood types are similar to human blood types in that
they are determined by molecules on the surface of the red cells. The molecules
are not the same, nor is the naming scheme the same as that used in human
blood. The most important blood type is Dog Erythrocyte Antigen (DEA) 1.1.
Blood banks divide their donor blood into DEA 1.1 positive and DEA 1.1
negative. The blood from DEA 1.1 negative dogs can be given to any dog
in need. DEA 1.1 positive blood can only be given to DEA 1.1 positive
dogs.
Question #4: Do you have a stable of greyhounds? I
heard they are universal donors.
It is true that most greyhounds have DEA 1.1 negative
blood, and therefore their blood is especially sought after, since it can be
given to any animal in need. However, about 40% of the canine population is DEA
1.1 negative, so there’s plenty to go around. In addition, if the types of the
donor and recipient are known, it’s best to give DEA 1.1 positive blood to DEA
1.1 positive dogs. This saves the DEA 1.1 negative blood for the DEA 1.1
negative dogs.
Question #5: Hey, wait a minute! You didn’t answer the
question! Do you have a stable of greyhounds?
Sun States: Blood Banks for Animals
does not believe in exploiting one animal to improve the quality of life of
another. All of our animals are volunteer donors who come from loving
homes and give of their own free will. We welcome willing greyhound
volunteer donors, but we do not want to
contribute to the problem. Different blood banks (and animal hospitals
that have in-hospital blood banks) have a wide array of policies about the
selection and management of their donors. We suggest that you or your veterinarian
contact any blood bank you receive blood from so that you can understand their
policies. Furthermore, we encourage you to verify the non-profit status of
any blood bank, if you have any questions.
Question #6: So how do you know if a dog is willing?
They can’t talk, after all.
Yes, that’s true, but as all of us who love our animals
know, they DO communicate! Dogs are remarkably intuitive. It has been our
experience that most animals seem to sense they are part of something special,
and are very cooperative. An animal that is not willing to sit still or who
seems fearful or apprehensive is merely telling us that “hey, I think you’re
doing a good thing, but I’d rather not donate today.” We respect the animal’s
choice, and we encourage their guardian to do so as well. Perhaps they’ll come
visit us on a future date and be more willing. Dogs (as well as people) do
change their minds sometimes!
Question #7: Do you sedate the dogs for blood draws?
We do not sedate dogs for a blood donation. Our
experiences have generally been very positive, and our donors are for the most
part more than willing to sit still for the few minutes it takes to donate
blood. We do use a skilled holder to make sure the dog is safely positioned for the
blood draw, but the holder is there to position a willing donor – not hold an
unwilling one down. At a convention, we were asked by a group of
veterinary techs what we use to sedate our blood donors. Imagine their
surprised look when we told them what we use - "nothing but Love!"
Question #8: What about cats? I have a cat who’d like
to donate.
We are currently reviewing protocols and
procedures for feline donations. Cats pose several unique problems, due to their small size and
lower tolerance for any sort of veterinary procedure. We have consulted
extensively with other veterinarians and the other blood banks that bank feline
blood, and the general consensus is that donation is safest and easiest for the
animal if the cat is sedated for the procedure. Because of the cat’s small
size, we also need MUCH smaller blood bags. We have obtained collection bags from one of the other veterinary blood banks expressly for this
purpose. We will still require our animals to be willing, volunteer donors.
However, we will adapt our procedures to ensure the safety and comfort of the
donor cat.
Question #9: Is there really a shortage of animal
blood?
YES! There is a tremendous shortage.
When one of our recipient dogs was
first diagnosed with Hemophilia A, blood products were available only one unit
at time. There were times that the wait exceeded
2 - 4 weeks. All of the blood banks are working as fast as we can to meet
the need for animal blood products, but the demand always exceeds the supply.
For more information on the animal that inspired the creation of Sun States:
Blood Banks for Animals, please visit the website:
www.mydogfluffy.com.
Question #10: What does my vet do if they need blood
RIGHT NOW and they can’t get it from a blood bank?
Often veterinarians’ personal pets are pressed into service
as donors. This is very generous, but it poses several problems:
Question #11:
How often can my dog donate?
Some veterinary sources suggest that donating blood
is safe as often as once every four weeks, Sun States suggests that dogs
do not donate any more frequently than every six to eight weeks. The
majority of our return donors donate blood about once every three months.
Question #12:
Do I have to have my dog donate four (4) times per year?
Every blood donation is valuable since it is
the gift of life to multiple animals in need. Being a community based,
volunteer blood bank for animals, we cannot require any guardian to donate blood
every three months or more than one time. We respect the right for every
person and donor to make their own choice to continue donating or to withdraw
for any reason. Furthermore, no guardian will be penalized in any way for
not returning more than once. Donors are encouraged to return though for a
number of reasons. First, every dog is prescreened, tested, and typed
before enrolling into the program. There is a significant cost to clear an
animal for our program, approximately $300.00 per dog. This cost is
amortized over the course of multiple donations in the processing fees that are
collected from hospitals. If the blood bank did not have return donors,
the processing fees would significantly increase making transfusion therapy a
medical procedure available to only the people that could afford it.
Second, there is about a 10 day period of time in which infectious disease
testing results are completed. Dogs that have previously been screened can
donate blood and their blood is available for immediate use. If we did not
have return donors, there would be numerous dogs in the infectious disease queue
waiting for clearance causing a shortage of safe and ready supply of blood.
Third, every donor becomes part of a larger family and everyone at Sun States
would miss them. Other sick animals are relying on volunteer donors to
help them and we would hope that each donation experience is positive for both
donor and guardian. It is always nice to see one of our smiling donors
return another time!
The BIG Question: So what can I do to help?
There are lots of ways to become involved. If you have a
dog over 50 lbs., 35 lbs. for our Half Pints For Half-Pints program, they may be a potential donor. If you don’t
have a dog eligible to donate, you can volunteer your time at blood
drives or other community events. You can pass the word on to your friends, your neighbors, and your vet
about blood banking and transfusion medicine. And of course you can make a
tax-deductible contribution to either of the two non-profit blood banks, both of whom are in
financial need.
Sun
States: Blood Banks for Animals
