Blood Donor Program: Your Pet Can Be a Lifesaver
Why Choose Our Blood Bank Program?
Expert veterinary care and a life-saving community donor program for pets throughout Wisconsin. Our team manages a hospital-based blood bank to provide critical transfusions for pets facing emergencies and life-threatening illnesses at MVS.
Why Become a Blood Donor?
When a pet experiences a traumatic injury, ingests a poison, or fights a severe illness, a transfusion of blood or plasma can mean the difference between life and death. Our donor program relies on the generosity of canine and feline volunteers to keep our blood supply steady for those in critical need. In return, your pet receives exceptional preventive care benefits.
Comprehensive Donor Benefits
Active donors in our program receive free yearly laboratory testing and physical exams, heartworm and flea/tick preventive, annual vaccinations, and a 15% discount on professional services at MVS. As a lasting thank you, your pet will also receive a free blood or plasma transfusion if ever needed in the future.
Safety-First Approach
Donating blood is very safe for pets. Every potential donor is thoroughly screened before joining the program, and before each donation, they receive a complete physical exam. Blood is collected in a sterile fashion with continuous monitoring to ensure your pet’s comfort and safety.
Making a Direct Impact
Blood collected through the MVS blood bank is used only for patients at MVS—we do not ship or sell blood products. Your pet’s donation directly helps a sick or injured animal in our local community, giving them a second chance at life.
Meet Our Blood Donor Team:
Dr. Carrie Calhoun graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 2014 and knew that she wanted to be an emergency clinician. She completed a rotating small animal internship in emergency, medicine, and surgery in Seattle, Washington before joining our team at MVS.
Dr. Calhoun lives in Fitchburg with her golden retriever/Great Pyrenees mix named Charlie. In her free time, she enjoys running, paddle boarding, hiking and traveling.
Baylee obtained her degree in Veterinary Technology from Madison College in 2019 and is working on her Bachelors in the same field from Mizzou. Prior to joining the MVS team in February 2022 as our laboratory technician, she worked as an emergency nurse at a different emergency veterinary clinic.
Baylee lives in Waunakee and shares her home with a DSH named Abigail, a Cockapoo named Mollie Jo, a Chihuahua mix named Joey, a Norwegian Forest Cat named and Eli and a goldfish named Shamu.
Nikole attended M State in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and graduated with an applied associates degree in equine sciences in 2016. Then, she attended Broadview University in Madison and graduated in 2018 with an applied associates degree in veterinary technology. Nikole joined the MVS emergency team in November 2018.
In her free time, Nikole loves to hang out with her dog, fish, camp and watch the New Orleans Saints. She shares her home in Madison with her American Pit Bull Terriers named Hades and Lucifer.
When Pets Need Transfusions
Our blood bank provides essential blood products for pets facing a variety of critical conditions.
Traumatic Injuries & Emergencies
Pets with severe blood loss from accidents or surgery often need immediate transfusions of whole blood or packed red blood cells to stabilize them.
Toxin Ingestion
Ingesting certain poisons, like rat bait, can prevent blood from clotting properly. Transfusions of plasma provide the necessary clotting factors to stop internal bleeding.
Life-Threatening Illnesses
Conditions like immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), where the body destroys its own red blood cells, or severe bone marrow disorders can be managed with life-saving blood transfusions.
The Donor Requirements
To ensure the safety of both donors and recipients, all volunteers must meet specific health and physical criteria and pass an initial health screening.
Can My Dog Donate?
- Disposition: Good-natured, able to tolerate restraint on their side.
Weight: At least 50 pounds.
Age: 1 to 8 years old.
Health History: No previous blood transfusions; spayed or neutered.
Preventive Care: Current on core vaccinations and heartworm preventive; on no medications that could affect a recipient.
Screening: Must pass a physical exam and laboratory tests, including blood typing, normal blood work/urinalysis, and negative infectious disease tests (Anaplasma, Babesia, Brucellosis, Ehrlichiosis, Heartworm, and others based on history).
Can My Cat Donate?
- Disposition: Good-natured, able to tolerate restraint (may receive light sedation).
- Weight: At least 10 pounds.
- Age: 1 to 8 years old.
- Health History: No previous blood transfusions; spayed or neutered; strictly an indoor cat.
- Preventive Care: Current on core vaccinations; on no medications that could affect a recipient.
- Screening: Must pass a physical exam and laboratory tests, including blood typing (A or B), normal blood work/urinalysis, and negative infectious disease tests (Bartonella, FIV, FeLV, Heartworm, Mycoplasma haemofelis).
What to Expect on Donation Day
The donation process is designed to be smooth and stress-free for your pet, with their safety as our top priority.
Pre-Donation Check
Your pet receives a complete physical exam to ensure they are healthy and safe to donate that day. A small blood sample is also collected to confirm safe blood levels. If any concerns arise, we simply reschedule for another day.
The Donation Process
For cats, light sedation is given to keep them comfortable. A small area on the neck is shaved and surgically prepared. Blood is collected from the jugular vein using sterile equipment. The amount collected depends on your pet's size (up to 450 mL for dogs, 53 mL for cats).
Post-Donation Care
A bandage is placed to allow proper clotting. To help replace fluid volume, dogs are offered fresh water, and cats receive fluids under the skin. Of course, plenty of snacks and treats are given as a well-deserved reward! The entire visit typically takes about 2–3 hours.
Home Care Tips for Donor Pets
Keeping your donor happy and healthy is a team effort.
Maintain Wellness Visits: The exams provided in our program are not a substitute for routine visits to your primary care veterinarian. We will share all lab work with them.
Continue Preventive Care: Keep your pet on heartworm and flea/tick preventive year-round.
Monitor Health at Home: Note any changes in appetite, energy, or behavior, and let us know if your pet starts any new medications.
Commit to the Program: We ask donors to remain in the program for at least 2 years and be available for donations approximately every 2-3 months, including for emergencies.
Ready to Give Your Pet the Chance to Be a Lifesaver?
If your healthy, good-natured dog or cat meets our donor requirements and you’re ready to make a life-saving difference for other pets in our community, we want to hear from you. By submitting an application, you declare that you have read and agree to the Blood Donor Requirements listed on our website.
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At Madison Veterinary Specialists, we are incredibly grateful to our volunteers and to Elanco for donating the heartworm and flea/tick preventatives that help support our donors. Our team is committed to providing compassionate, top-quality care for your pet while they help save the lives of others.