Locally-Owned in Oakdale and St. Paul, Minnesota

Life-Saving Blood Transfusions for Pets

Red blood cells flowing through bloodstream.

If your pet experienced a severe trauma or is profusely bleeding from any wound, these are considered “RED” – or true emergencies – on our Fast Track Triage system. We advise you to seek immediate veterinary care. Please call ahead of your arrival so the veterinary team knows to expect you!


Most people are familiar with blood transfusions and the concept of blood donors for humans, but did you know that dogs and cats can also donate blood and receive blood transfusions?

Transfusion therapy is a critical, life-saving procedure often performed in emergency situations. Pets may require a transfusion for a variety of reasons, and this blog will focus on red blood cell transfusions. However, blood is made up of much more than oxygen-carrying red blood cells. In some cases, pets might need transfusions of other blood components—but that’s a topic for another day! For now, let’s explore how red blood cell transfusions can save lives and make a difference for pets in need.

An exterior photo of Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota's Oakdale ER & Specialty Center.

When Would My Pet Need an Emergency Blood Transfusion? 

The reason a pet may need a life-saving donation of red blood cells is because they have become anemic. Anemia is the medical term for having a low red blood cell count in the bloodstream. The main causes of anemia during a pet emergency are:  

  • Trauma 

    • Serious injuries such as being hit by a car, a large cut (laceration), or a fall can result in a pet losing a lot of blood. 
  • Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) 

    • This autoimmune condition occurs when the body attacks and destroys its own red blood cells. IMHA is most commonly seen in younger and middle-aged dogs and cats. 
  • Internal Bleeding Due to Tumors 

    • A common problem in older, large breed dogs is the development of cancerous tumors on the spleen or the liver which can lead to internal bleeding, often resulting in blood pooling in the abdomen.  

Note: There are other reasons for pets to become anemic, but these are the most common. 

Vet tech Danisha performing a blood transfusion to a pet in the ER at Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota.

Danisha, one of our skilled emergency vet techs, is expertly managing two simultaneous transfusions for pets in our ER.

What to Expect if Your Pet Needs a Transfusion 

When a pet requires a transfusion, the emergency veterinary team follows these steps:  

  • Pre-Transfusion 

    • A blood type and matching process is performed to reduce the risk of a pet having a transfusion reaction – which is when the body responds negatively to the transfused blood product. This is necessary because dogs and cats have blood types. (Note: They’re not the same blood types as we humans have, but they’re similar). 
      • Dogs have type DEA 1.1 Positive and DEA 1.1. Negative blood types. 
        • Blood typing and matching is a series of tests to determine if donor blood is compatible with the transfusion recipient’s blood. If the veterinary team is not able to type and match a canine patient, DEA 1.1. Negative blood will be used, because it is the type least likely to cause a reaction (like the human type O blood being a “universal donor”). 
      • Cats have Type A and Type B blood. 
        • For cats, it’s necessary to perform blood type testing prior to a blood transfusion because cats cannot receive blood that doesn’t match their type without a significant risk of a life-threatening reaction. 
  • During the Transfusion 

    • Once the blood product is determined safe for use, the transfusion will begin. A transfusion is given directly into the pet’s bloodstream via an IV catheter and is generally administered over about 4-8 hours 
      • During the transfusion, the veterinary team will monitor your pet’s vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature) to watch for possible transfusion reactions. 
  • Post-Transfusion 

    • After a transfusion, the red blood cell levels are monitored closely while the cause of the pet’s anemia is addressed (either medically or surgically – depending on the situation).  

A collage of photos showing the process of a dog's blood donation at Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota. The first image shows a vet tech drawing blood. The second photo shows the dog being hooked up to the machines and equipment to begin the donation. The third photo shows the machine separating blood and plasma. The fourth photo is of a dog and his owner holding a "First Donation" sign. The final image is the blood bag from the donation.

Pet Blood Donors 

Where does this blood product come from for emergency transfusions? At Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota, we have an internal blood bank. We have many canine and feline blood donors whose owners have volunteered for them to donate their blood for use in our emergency patients. Here’s how it works:  

  • Before a pet can become a donor, they undergo a rigorous screening process to make sure their body is healthy enough to donate and their blood is safe for use in other pets. 
  • Our blood bank collects the blood needed from these donors using special equipment. The blood is processed into separate products (red blood cells and plasma) and then stored until needed for a patient in our ER. 

These blood products do expire after a time, so Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota is continuously collecting from our brave donor pets, to make sure our ER always has an ample supply of these life-saving products for pets who need them!  

Two images: The first photo is of a dog with a blood donor bandana next to a bag of blood and a bag of plasma from donation. The second photo is of a variety of bags of blood and plasma from pet donors at Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota.

Although we always hope no pet will face the need for a life-saving blood transfusion, accidents and serious medical conditions can occur. When they do, our ER is prepared to perform emergency transfusions to stabilize our patients and help them return to their families. 

Dog wearing red blood donor bandana.

My own dog Finn is a regular donor, and we are very proud of him for being brave during his donations and helping to save other dogs with his blood.

Your Pet Can Become a Hero, Too!

If you are interested in having your dog or cat become a blood donor for Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota, please complete this application and we will reach out to you.

  • Dogs must be healthy, weigh more than 50 pounds, and be over 1 year old (donors retire at 8 years old). 
  • Cats must be healthy, indoor-only, weigh more than 10 pounds, and be over 1 year old (donors retire at 10 years old). 

A graphic shows text that reads: "In 2020, one of our vet techs, Chrissy, experienced a pet emergency with her dog, Boss. He was in severe abdominal pain, and Dr. Molldrem, one of our emergency veterinarians, discovered that Boss had internal bleeding. Dr. Nevins, our veterinary radiologist, performed an ultrasound and found three masses on Boss's spleen—one of which was bleeding. Dr. Bush, another of our emergency veterinarians, quickly performed surgery to remove Boss's spleen. After surgery, Boss required a life-saving blood transfusion. Chrissy's other dog, Blake, is a blood donor for AERC's internal blood bank. While Chrissy didn’t know it at the time, she later learned that Blake’s blood was used to save Boss’s life. Thanks to his little brother, Boss was able to go home and recover!" An image of Blake and Boss at home is next to the text.

More Reading:

Nikki Scherrer, DVM, Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota

 

Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota, Fast Track Triage, color-coded triage system, pet emergency, Twin Cities emergency vet, Minnesota emergency vet, Saint Paul emergency vet, Oakdale emergency vet

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