- Home
- Donor Animal Registration
Donor Animal Registration
Why We Keep a Donor Register
There is no national blood bank for animals. When a pet arrives needing a transfusion, the blood has to come from another pet whose owner volunteered beforehand. Keeping a register of healthy dogs and cats means we can act quickly rather than making calls while an animal waits.
When a Pet Needs Blood?
Accidents and injuries
Pets hit by vehicles or badly injured often lose blood faster than their body can replace it.
Surgery
Some operations carry a risk of significant blood loss, and having blood ready changes what is possible.
Illness and poisoning
Certain conditions and toxins stop blood clotting or destroy red cells, and a transfusion buys time to treat the cause.
There is rarely time to search
A pet needing blood usually needs it within hours. A register means we are not making phone calls while an animal waits.
Your pet may never be called on. That is the point.Registering does not commit you to anything. It means that if a pet in our care needs blood, we already know who to ask instead of starting from nothing.
Could Your Pet Be a Donor?
Donors need to be healthy adults, big enough to give safely, and calm enough to sit still for a short procedure. Most well cared for pets qualify.
Dogs
- Generally 25kg or more, though this depends on build as well as weight
- Aged roughly one to eight years
- Up to date on vaccinations and parasite prevention
- Healthy, and not on ongoing medication
- Calm enough to be handled by strangers without sedation
- Has never received a blood transfusion
Cats
- Generally 4.5kg or more, and lean rather than overweight
- Aged roughly one to eight years
- Indoor-only, which lowers the risk of infections we cannot see
- Up to date on vaccinations
- Screened clear for feline leukaemia and FIV
- Relaxed at the clinic and comfortable being handled
What about rabbits, birds and reptiles?
Routine blood donation is a dog and cat programme. Exotic species are not part of the register, both because the volumes involved are very small and because matching between individuals is far more complicated. If your exotic pet ever needs a transfusion, we will discuss the options with you directly at the time.
Not sure whether your pet qualifies? Ask anyway.These are guidelines rather than hard rules, and temperament matters as much as the numbers. We would rather check than have you rule your pet out on your own.
Your First Month, In Order
Most owners hesitate because they imagine something frightening. In practice it is closer to a long health check, and your pet goes home the same day.
Health check and blood typing
We examine your pet properly and take a small sample to check their blood type and run screening tests. This happens before any donation is arranged.
A quick check-over
We confirm your pet is well on the day itself. If anything seems off, or they simply seem unsettled, we stop there.
Time to relax first
A small patch of fur on the neck is clipped and cleaned. We take this slowly, because a calm animal makes the whole thing easier.
A short collection
The collection itself takes only a few minutes, with a nurse holding and reassuring your pet throughout. Most dogs tolerate it easily. Cats are sometimes given light sedation, and we will discuss that with you beforehand.
Rest, fluids and a fuss
Your pet rests with us for a while with water and something to eat. We check them over again before they leave.
A quiet day, then back to normal
Keep things calm for the rest of the day and avoid hard exercise. Most pets are entirely themselves by the following morning.
You can stop at any point, including on the day.Registering is not a commitment, and neither is turning up. If your pet is uncomfortable or you change your mind, we stop, and it does not affect their care with us in any way.
Dr. Asma Fariha
Veterinary Surgeon · MVC Reg. No. 3362
Dr. Asma leads clinical care at ExoCare, treating cats and dogs alongside rabbits, birds, reptiles and other exotic species that most general practices are not equipped for.
Frequently Asked Questions
It means adding your healthy dog or cat to our list of possible blood donors. If another pet needs a transfusion, we already know who to contact instead of searching while an animal waits.
Get in touch with the clinic and we will take a few details about your pet. After that we arrange a health check and blood typing before your pet joins the register properly.
Healthy adult dogs and cats of a suitable size and temperament. Rabbits, birds and reptiles are not part of routine donation, because the volumes involved are very small and matching is far more complicated.
No. Registering only puts your pet on the list. You can say no to any individual request, withdraw at any time, and stop on the day itself if your pet seems unhappy.
Plan for a longer visit than a normal check-up, because most of the time is spent settling your pet and letting them rest afterwards. The collection itself is only a few minutes.
A full health check and blood typing, which is genuinely useful to have on record if your own pet ever needs treatment. We keep every donation noted in their file.
Usually not, if they are on ongoing medication or have a known condition. Ask us anyway rather than ruling your pet out, because it depends on what the condition is.