Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon is expanding in an epic way – they are in the process of building a brand new veterinary campus on the Eastside of Bend. But with this expansion, there’s now a greater need for dog blood donors.
VRCCO’s new 26,000 square foot campus will have the space and resources for more vet specialists. Their new facility will have the first MRI in Bend for patients and an orthopedic center with rehabilitation. This expanded campus also means that they will be able to have a neurologist on staff, more internal medicine veterinarians, and more surgeons on staff.
More surgeries = greater need for blood donation
With more patients to treat and more surgeries on the horizon, Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon will need more blood to keep up with the current demand.
I spoke with Dr. Jennifer Bentley, co-founder, practicing dermatologist and Director of Education at VRCCO. She started VRCCO 4 years ago with only 12 employees. When I asked her about the expansion, Dr. Bentley said:
“We keep adding specialities to meet up with the demands of Central Oregon. Because of that, we have definitely outgrown the place we are at.” Dr. Bentley said. “So we can do all the special procedures and bring all of the advanced care to Central Oregon.”
Current demand for blood is high
Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon has a blood bank currently, but according to Dr. Bentley, it’s been hard to find suitable donors to keep up for the current need.
“We are just always looking for new donors with specific blood types,” she said. “You can order blood, but it’s very hard to get it and there’s always a delay with it.” Dr. Bentley said that when they order blood, it can take up to 4 weeks to arrive.
“It’s easier to just have blood in-house, and have a stockpile of it,” she said. “It usually lasts one month.”
According to Dr. Bentley, some weekends there just isn’t enough blood for patients. “There are times when we have a run on blood products that we actually turn to our own staff members and ask for their pets to donate.” Dr. Bentley said.
This happens several times a year.
What kind of dog is a good blood donation candidate?
Dr. Bentley added that canine blood donors have to fit a certain personality type. They must be calm and they must like going to the vet. Bigger dogs can usually give more.
Most dogs who donate will not need sedation, but sometimes a light sedative will be used.
“My dog used to be a blood donor – and he’d just lay there,” she said. “It’s one tiny poke, and they get it done pretty fast.” She added that depending on the size of the dog, canine blood donors can donate up to 1/2 liter in one donation.
Dogs who donate should be less than 6 years old, over 55 pounds and free of diseases.
The Perks of Canine Blood Donation
There are some perks if you think your dog would be a good blood donation candidate. Dogs who donate blood get:
- One free physical exam
- Free basic bloodwork
- One year’s supply of flea/tick and heart worm medication
“A majority of our clients do it because they have been in the situation themselves with a previous pet that has needed blood” she said. “or they understand how critical it is to have blood on hand in an emergency room.”
Dog Blood Types
Dogs have seven blood types:
- DEA 1.1
- DEA 1.2
- DEA 1.3
- DEA 4
- DEA 3
- DEA 5
- DEA 7
The universal canine blood type is DEA 1.1 negative.
When is canine blood used at the vet?
Blood donation is mostly used in trauma accidents, said Dr. Bentley.
“There are also auto-immune diseases, where the body is attacking red blood cells or platelets” said Dr. Bentley. “There are different types of transfusions you can do with blood by separating out [components] like plasma.”
Would your dog be a good blood donor? Reach out to Veterinary Referral Center of Central Oregon through email via info@vrcvet.com or call 541-210-9200 to find out.
Author: Ely Twiggs
Ely's love for the outdoors and having first hand experience of the shortness of life was the impetus for her move from Australia into an RV to travel the US. When she got to Bend, she knew this was the place. After creating The Dog in Us, a multi-channel platform about exploring National Parks with Dogs, she wanted to bring dog-approved resources to a local community she loves. Enter The Dog Guide Bend, a resource made for the Bend Dog Community. Ely is the guardian of two rescue dogs, Alaska and Smoky Joe, and they are the center of her universe. Ely and her husband Tom run a mobile RV repair business called Meet You There RV Repair & Inspection.