Feline Blood Transfusion

This beautiful girl is Asher. She is one of our amazing feline blood donors, and came to the aid of Sullivan who was scheduled in for an exploratory laparotomy.

Sadly, Sullivan was too anaemic to have the necessary surgery without having a blood donor at the ready. Thankfully due to his stable condition the Medicine team were able to source a suitable blood donor ahead of the required surgery.

Why Do We Need Cat Blood Donors?

As cat blood is difficult to store for long periods of time, we must rely on lovely clients and donors to come into Pride Veterinary Centre at the times of need.

The process of giving blood for a donation to save another cats life is one our nurses try to make as stress-free and as pleasant as possible on the donor cat.

What Happens When A Cat Donates Blood?
Our donor cats are admitted into hospital where they first have a full blood profile, blood typing and FIV/ FeLV snap test taken. This will check for anything that might make the sedation which the donor cat has to undergo unsafe, or an infectious disease that could be transmitted through the blood.

A vet will give a full examination of the donor cat to ensure that they are in a good condition.

Once the blood results are back, an intravenous canula is placed into the patient forelimb and a light sedation is given to relax the donor cat ensuring they stay nice and still for the procedure. A large clip patch is taken over the jugular which gets cleaned with a surgical scrub. A numbing spray is applied to the area, so the donor doesn’t feel the needle. A needle gets inserted into the jugular and blood drawn back into pre-prepared sterile syringes containing an anticoagulant, so the blood doesn’t clot.

Once all the blood is collected, a cream is applied to the area to prevent bruising and the donor is placed on intravenous fluid therapy to help them recover following the sedation and replace what had been taken. 

Once back in the cat ward they are supplied with an extra fluffy bed, calming cat music, a goody bag to go home with, and lots and lots of TLC!

Cat Blood Donation Criteria

• Cats need to be over 4kg
• Have a good temperament
• Be between the ages of 1-8
• Be up-to-date on flea, worming and vaccinations
• They must be healthy and not on any medications
• They must not be pregnant
• They must not have given blood in the last three months

Could Your Cat Save A Life? 

If you are interested in volunteering to become one of our cat blood donors then please call and book an appointment with a medicine nurse.