Paws and applause: Celebrating Blood Bank donor dogs
By Troy Johnson
There were no speakers at the commencement ceremony, but the graduates let out yawns every so often. Harley Ball and Edith Kendall, wearing blue graduation caps, occasionally sniffed the air and fidgeted while posing for photos to commemorate their special occasion.
The two Dobermans marked their “graduation” from the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Blood Bank program after years of life-saving service. Edith, a 9-year-old, and Harley, who turns 9 in October, have been among the 30 donor canines that are invaluable contributors to the Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital’s caregiving. Edith and Harley, who began serving as donors in 2019 and 2021, respectively, age out of the program as 9-year-olds.
“It is really important that we have fresh and safe blood products available,” said Dr. Dana LeVine, professor of small animal internal medicine and Blood Bank co-coordinator. “The blood bank is important in the treatment of cancers, some tick-borne diseases, snake bites, trauma, heatstroke, sepsis, or immune-mediated blood diseases. We do extensive screening to make sure donor canines don’t have any tick-borne diseases or health issues so that the blood is safe.”
The morning of Harley’s and Edith’s graduation reinforced the necessity of the blood donor program. A 170-plus pound Great Dane suffering from Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA), a potentially life-threatening condition where the immune system attacks and destroys red blood cells, required five bags of blood as part of his treatment and 18 total during this hospitalization. Last year, donor dogs contributed 30 liters of packed red cells, 23 liters of canine plasma and 13 liters of whole blood.
To be considered for as a donor, a dog must be greater than 50 pounds, 1-6 years old, spayed or neutered, healthy and free of medications, current on vaccines and monthly heartworm preventatives, good-natured and able to make a two-year commitment to the program. The program maintains an equal balance between dogs that are positive and negative for the Dog Erythrocyte Antigen (DEA) 1. LeVine said dogs in the program will typically donate a 450-milliliter unit every three months but may return sooner to meet emergent needs.
While there is a waiting list for canine donor applications, pet owners and animal lovers can support the Blood Bank by purchasing study toys from its Amazon wish list. The toys are one of the many ways the Blood Bank thanks donor dogs for their life-saving gifts.
“Taking care of them is the favorite part of my job,” LeVine said. “They are my babies. We take good care of them. They get treats and a bag of food each time they donate. They receive preventative care, get their vaccines, an internist exam, and biannual blood work covered through the program. [The Amazon Wish List items] are just something the dogs can enjoy as a reward.”
Photo credits: Silas Zee