Blood Bank
Heroes Have Paws: Join Our Canine Blood Donor Program! 🐾
Every day, dogs facing trauma, surgery, anemia, and other life-threatening conditions depend on blood transfusions to survive. A single blood donation can make the difference between life and death for a beloved pet.
To help meet the growing need for blood products, Animal Medical Center of Plainfield launched our Canine Blood Donor Program. As an emergency hospital with a general practice, we frequently care for patients who require blood transfusions. Unfortunately, blood products are not always readily available through commercial blood banks, making our donor program a critical resource for pets in need.
Our program relies on healthy canine volunteers who are willing to be heroes for other dogs. While helping save lives, donor dogs receive extensive health screening, preventive care benefits, and lots of love from our team.
If you think your dog may be interested in becoming a hero, please review the eligibility requirements below.
Donor Requirements
To ensure the safety of both our donors and recipients, all canine donors must meet the following requirements:
Donor Eligibility
Between 1 and 8 years of age
Weigh at least 50 pounds and be at a healthy body condition
Spayed or neutered
Not fed a raw diet
Up to date on Rabies, Distemper, Leptospirosis, Lyme and Bordetella vaccines
Receiving year-round flea, tick, and heartworm prevention
Healthy with no significant medical conditions or heart murmurs
No previous blood transfusions
Not taking medications that could affect blood recipients
Comfortable with handling, restraint, and blood collection procedures
Have a friendly disposition and tolerate hospital visits well
Eligible to be featured in marketing and social media promotions related to the Blood Donor Program
Owner Requirements
Must be committed to bringing their dog to at least 90% of scheduled blood donation appointments, which occur every 8 weeks.
Keep vaccines current
Maintain year-round flea, tick, and heartworm prevention
Communicate any changes in the donor's health status
Follow program guidelines and participation agreement
How to Apply
Step 1: Complete the Application
Interested owners should complete our Blood Donor Application Form (Link below).
***Please note that application review may take 3–4 weeks.
If your pet is not eligible, you will receive an email letting you know.
If your pet is a potential candidate, our team will:
Review the application
Review your pet's medical records
Contact you to schedule a phone consultation if your pet remains eligible after the initial application review.
Step 2: Phone Consultation
During the phone call, we will:
Verify eligibility requirements
Discuss your pet's medical history
Answer any questions about the program
If your pet remains eligible, we will schedule a screening appointment.
Initial Screening Appointment
The screening appointment is designed to ensure that your dog is healthy, comfortable, and a good fit for the program.
During this visit:
A veterinarian will perform a complete physical examination
Verify vaccine status (owner responsible for vaccination costs)
A small blood sample will be collected for laboratory testing and blood typing
Our team will assess your dog's comfort level with handling and restraint
We will use positive reinforcement, treats, and a calm environment to create a positive experience
Because we want to accurately simulate a donation visit, owners will not be present during the examination or blood collection portion of the screening.
If needed, we may recommend medications for future donation appointments to help your dog remain comfortable and relaxed.
If your dog successfully passes the screening process, we will review the donor contract with you. Contracts are renewed annually each January.
Secondary Evaluation & Enrollment
Once accepted into the program, your dog will return for a second visit where we will:
Perform a comprehensive blood panel
Review overall health status
Continue positive handling and restraint training
At this visit, enrolled donors will receive flea, tick, and heartworm prevention for the remainder of the calendar year (clinic-selected products).
Once enrollment is complete, donation appointments will be scheduled every 8 weeks through the end of the year.
Our Commitment to Donor Safety
The purpose of this program is to save lives—but never at the expense of our donors. Your dog's health, comfort, and well-being always come first.
If a donor becomes stressed, develops a medical condition, or no longer enjoys participating, donations may be postponed or discontinued at any time based on veterinary recommendation.
Blood Donor Benefits
As a thank-you for helping save lives, enrolled donors receive:
Preventive Care Benefits
Annual wellness examination
Blood typing (one-time lifetime test)
Year-round flea and tick prevention (clinic-selected product)
Year-round heartworm prevention (clinic-selected product)
Annual Laboratory Screening
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Chemistry Panel (Chem 27)
Heartworm test
Fecal examination
Total T4
Urinalysis
Blood Donor Infectious Disease Panel
Anaplasma spp.
Babesia spp.
Bartonella spp.
Brucella canis
Canine Hemotropic Mycoplasma
Ehrlichia spp.
Hepatozoon spp.
Neorickettsia risticii
Leishmania spp. Quantitative PCR
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Trypanosoma cruzi
Additional Perks
Official Blood Donor Bandana
Recognition as one of our Canine Heroes
Free blood transfusion if your dog ever requires one
Why We Perform Annual Testing
To ensure the safety of both our donors and recipients, extensive laboratory screening is performed before enrollment and repeated annually.
These tests help monitor your dog's health while ensuring a safe and healthy blood supply for patients in need. All donor screening tests are provided at no cost to participating owners.
Thank you for considering becoming part of our Canine Blood Donor Program. Together, we can save lives—one donation at a time.
