UC Davis looking for blood-donor dogs
From the Sacramento Bee
UC Davis looking for blood-donor dogs
By Bill Lindelof - blindelof@sacbee.com
In the future, dogs will be able to be regular blood donors.
The University of California, Davis, plans to develop a group of 300 to 400 donor dogs. The dogs would be pets from the community, regular Fidos owned by folks in the Davis and Sacramento areas.
The bank of community canines would eliminate the need for donor dogs to live at the UC Davis Animal Hospital. Traditionally, donor canines have lived at the hospital and then were adopted out after a few years.
Donor dogs are important at UC Davis because about 250 dogs a year receive blood transfusions at the teaching hospitals for various reasons, including surgical complications.
The university plans to screen 1,200 pet dogs in the coming year to come up with the canines that would be regular contributors, coming in two or three times a year to donate about a pint of blood. Dogs have 13 different blood types.
Donor dogs must be 1 to 8 years old and weigh at least 55 pounds. They can never have been pregnant.
The animals will get a health screening. If chosen to be a donor, the dog will return for a blood draw, which takes about 15 minutes.
The new program is said to be the largest of its kind west of the Mississippi River, according to a UC Davis news release.
To participate, interested people can make an appointment to have their dog screened by calling (530) 752-1393, ext. 421.
