Your dog or cat can give the gift of life to an animal that is sick or injured. Due to the nature of cases we see, the demand for blood products is always high. We rely on the help of willing canine and feline volunteers to keep our supply steady and help those animals in need. Donating to our Blood Bank at our Waukesha hospital is safe and easy.

A single blood donation can save more than one life because both the red blood cells and the blood plasma are used.

Requirements

Our canine and feline heroes must have certain physical characteristics and meet certain requirements to be considered for the blood donor program. In order to qualify, he or she must:

• Have a good disposition and able to tolerate venipuncture and restraint.

• Not have had any previous blood transfusions.

• Not be on any medications that could pose a problem for a recipient.

• Receive a normal physical exam on initial evaluation by one of WVRC’s veterinarians.

• Be between the ages of 1 and 8 years old.

• Donate once every 8 weeks at WVRC – Waukesha

• Remain in the program for at least 2 years.

• Be available for emergency donations at WVRC – Waukesha

• Be permitted to be featured in various marketing and social media promotions around our Blood Donor program.

Dogs:

• Must weigh at least 50 pounds

• Must be on year-round heart worm preventative

• Must be up to date on the following vaccinations: Adenovirus, Distemper, Leptospirosis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, and Rabies

Cats:

• Must weigh at least 10 pounds

• Must be an indoor-only cat

• Must be up to date on the following vaccinations: Calicivirus, Panleukopenia, Rabies, and Rhinotracheitis

If your dog or cat meets the above criteria, various lab tests will be performed to ensure his/her health status and the safety of the blood donor pool. These tests are carried out at no cost to owners and will be repeated annually while a member of the blood donor program. Our program is run and managed at our WVRC – Waukesha hospital.