Since 1982, the Animal Medical Center has been taking care of Lubbock’s pets, but in some cases, it’s the pets that have wound up taking care of each other through the gift of giving blood.

Although Lubbock does not have an animal blood donor bank, local veterinarians have taken it upon themselves to supply pets who need transfusions the blood they need from designated blood donor dogs and cats at their clinics.

Animal Medical Center often works with the city’s animal services departments to find dogs that would make for good blood donors. Once they find the dogs, they house them at the shelter, and every so often one of the technicians will end up adopting the donor dogs as their own.

Doctors say that when it comes to transfusions, it’s often dogs who need blood more than cats. While any dog that is healthy and clean can be a blood donor, but some happen to be better equipped for it more so than others.

“We want big, muscular healthy dogs and dogs that are that have good blood volumes you know some dogs do have more blood than others,” said Dr. Lane Preston, co-owner of  Animal Medical Center Co-owner. “We’re usually trying to find dogs that are in the range of 60-80 pounds.”

Dr. Preston also advises that any dog that either receives or donates blood to do so sparingly as complications can arise from giving/receiving blood too many times.

“Any dog can be a donor one time any recipient can take blood one time. After that, it can get pretty tricky because there are four or five pathogens that this dog has and this other dog doesn’t and if we give him that donor blood we’re going to create a severe reaction.” 

Mandi Mckelvey, one of the veterinary technicians at AMC, has seen first-hand how a dog blood donor has been able to save another pet’s life, as both a vet technician and an owner.

“A couple years ago, the emergency clinic called me at midnight they had pet come in that needed a donation and took Thor (Mckelvey’s dog) up there and he donated blood and turns out it was one of our clients and that dog still comes in here today. He wouldn’t have made it if he didn’t have a blood transfusion.” 

Interested in learning more about dog blood donors? Visit this link for more info.: http://dogblooddonors.com/