Just like humans, pets sometimes need life-saving blood transfusions. At DoveLewis veterinary hospital in Portland, Oregon, a special group of four-legged heroes are helping meet this critical need through regular blood donations.
The hospital maintains a roster of 94 canine and 48 feline donors who provide blood for emergencies and planned procedures. While the cats require sedation for donations, the dogs participate willingly - many even showing excitement during their visits.
Take Dolly, a 7-year-old Labrador retriever who can barely contain her enthusiasm when arriving for her regular donation appointments. Originally trained as a guide dog but deemed "too friendly" for the role, Dolly now serves as both a therapy dog and blood donor.
"She loves coming here," says owner Denise Duncan. "She's not crazy about the actual donation, but she gets baby food and a toy afterward, which she looks forward to."
The donation process is quick and straightforward. Dogs lie still on a table while staff draw about a pint of blood from their jugular vein - a procedure taking less than 10 minutes. To qualify, donor dogs must weigh at least 55 pounds, be between 1-6 years old, and have the right temperament.
The need for animal blood products is substantial. "There's a very large deficit between the need and supply in veterinary medicine right now," explains Kelsey Reinauer, the blood bank manager. The collected blood helps treat various conditions - from trauma cases to immune diseases and cancer.
Each donation can travel far to save lives. While about two-thirds of collected blood serves local needs, some units have reached pets as far away as Florida and Texas. The program creates trading cards featuring donor pets, which are given to recipient families so they know who helped save their beloved companions.
In exchange for their contributions, donor pets receive valuable benefits including free annual lab work, urgent care visits, and discounted parasite prevention medication. But perhaps more importantly, they get the satisfaction of helping other animals in need - even if that satisfaction comes in the form of chicken-flavored baby food.
For pet owners interested in having their dogs join this life-saving mission, several veterinary facilities across Oregon offer blood donor programs. However, the need extends far beyond the state, as only a handful of similarly-sized blood banks exist nationwide.
The next time you see a happy dog wagging its tail, remember it might be more than just a friendly pet - it could be one of the unsung heroes helping save animal lives one donation at a time.