Blood Donor Care Committee

• Animals that have been in a bad accident, are anemic, or have certain diseases may need blood transfusions.
• Blood is “species specific.” That means, for example, dogs can receive only dog blood, and cats can receive only cat blood.
• Dogs and cats have blood types just as humans have blood types.
• Cats have 3 blood groups, A, B, and AB. Dogs have 11 different blood groups.
• Blood is separated into three components: Red blood cells (for oxygen), plasma (for protein), and platelets (for clotting), which can either be given together or be given separately, depending on the need.
• Animals that receive a blood transfusion need to be cross-matched with the donor animal to make sure that the donor and recipient are compatible.
• “Cross-matching” means mixing the red blood cells from the donor with the blood serum from the recipient and looking for a reaction, such as red blood cell lysis (dying).

Have you ever looked at blood under the microscope? Stop by to see for yourself and pay a visit to the blood donor dogs. This year's booth will feature a retired blood donor dog named Rosie in the morning and one of our current canine donors in the afternoon.