Willows Veterinary Hospital urges owners to volunteer pets to donate blood

Video report by ITV Granada Reports journalist Tim Scott

A veterinary hospital is urging dog owners to volunteer their pets to donate life-saving blood to help save other poorly pooches.

Willows Veterinary Hospital in Hartford, near Northwich, in Cheshire is calling for people to help Pet Blood Bank UK refill its stocks.

Without the blood, the charity is unable to carry out life-saving treatment on dogs in emergency situations.

The blood donation process for dogs takes 45 minutes. Credit: ITV News

Dr Emily Guest, a vet at Willows Vet Hospital, says stocks decreased during the Covid-19 pandemic and is now appealing for pet owners to get involved in the scheme.

She said: "The Pet Blood Bank is a service that we can ring at any point to get deliveries of different blood products. 

"Vets across the country are hugely reliant on it, but the Pet Blood Bank is in serious need of new donors to build up their blood stocks.

"With that in mind, we here at the hospital have applied to become a donor centre, so we're looking for people in the area to sign their pets up.

"Owners will be contacted when the Pet Blood Bank is here, so it will be nice and convenient for them to come down."

One blood donation can help save the lives of up to four other dogs. Credit: RSPCA

Can my dog donate blood?

Dogs can only donate if they are:

  • Fit and healthy

  • Between one and eight years old

  • Weigh more than 25kg

  • Have a good temperament

  • Have never travelled outside of the UK and Ireland

  • Not on any medication

Do dogs have blood types?

Just like humans, dogs have different blood types. The two groups we test for are DEA 1 positive and DEA 1 negative.

You can find out about blood types in dogs and what breeds are more likely to have negative blood type here.

How long will it take for my dog to donate blood?

The entire process takes 45 minutes and owners can stay with their pets during the donation.

Emily added: "What we are looking for is for people to sign up online if their dog meets the criteria and is generally happy and healthy and enjoys coming to the vets.

"If anyone has any queries before signing up, they can ring the hospital and have a chat with one of our support team who will be happy to help."

How do I sign my dog up?

Owners can bring their four-legged companions to any of the Pet Blood Bank's several locations across the UK to donate blood.

After a pooch donates, the blood is transported to a processing centre where it is separated into different products.

The blood is then safely stored before it is sent out to vets across the country as and when it is required.

For more information about registering your dog as a blood donor, visit this website.

For more information about Willows Veterinary Group visit their website, Facebook @WillowsVetGroup or call the hospital on 01606 723202.

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