Pet Blood Bank UK (PBBuk) was set up as the first UK charity to collect, process, store and distribute pet blood products in the UK.
A change in legislation in October 2005 made it possible for vets to store pet blood. Recognising this as an opportunity to develop a blood bank, Vets Now raised the funds to set up and support the PBBuk charity, which supplies dogs all over the UK with vital, lifesaving blood. PBBuk was launched in 2007 and has provided over 10,000 units of blood products to help save thousands of dogs lives.
PBBuk collects canine blood which is then processed into various blood products and stored on the premises. The blood products are then sold to veterinary practices across the UK. Any profits will be re-employed into educational programmes such as developing veterinary transfusion medicine within the UK.
The blood bank is based in Loughborough.
Pet Blood Bank UK supplies blood to the veterinary profession at cost price i.e. to cover the costs of obtaining the blood through canine donations, processing and storage. As a charity we recommend that the veterinary practices we supply blood to do not mark up the cost of blood in the cost of treatment which is charged to their clients. Obviously there will be separate charge for the diagnostics and clinical services associated with administering a blood transfusion, which will differ from practice to practice. Any profit which the charity may make in the future will be reinvested in the charity to further our remit in the areas of animal welfare and education.
Vets Now is the UK's leading provider of Out Of Hours (OOH) veterinary emergency and critical care.
Pet Blood Bank UK (PBBuk) was set up as the first UK charity which will collect, process, store and distribute pet blood products in the UK. Vets Now provided financial support and trained veterinary staff to help provide the PBBuk services.
Vets Now are the leaders in pet critical care in the UK. Blood transfusions are an essential and common procedure and Vets Now realise the importance of developing veterinary transfusion medicine in the UK and the need to be able to access a reliable source of blood products.
Donations are made at collection sessions held at veterinary practices in various locations in the UK. To find the nearest collection session to you check our blood session locator. The locations are all within an acceptable distance to allow blood to be collected, returned to the premises and processed in a suitable time frame.
The dogs must be between one and eight years old. They must weigh over 25kg and be in good health. Dogs must never have travelled abroad, must have up to date vaccinations and must never have received a blood transfusion. Register your dog.
The Pet Blood Bank UK will ask dogs to donate three to four times a year.
No, most dogs don't even realise that they are donating blood! We do use local anaesthetic cream to prevent discomfort. In addition, we find that by making lots of fuss and giving reassurance, the dogs are very happy. Dog welfare policy.
Yes, all dogs in the UK will be typed as either DEA 1.1 positive or negative. More information on blood typing.
Owners should take their dogs to donate so that their blood will help other dogs in need. A single donation can help as many as four dogs. One day the blood bank may benefit their dogs if they were in the situation of needing blood.
Owners can register on line or call us on 01509 232 222 or 0844 8009925 (calls to this number cost 5p per minute)
Each unit of blood is placed in a centrifuge and spun in order to separate its two main component parts - red blood cells and plasma.
Red blood cells are stored in a nutrient solution for up to 42 days in a fridge at a monitored temperature of 4 degrees centigrade.
Plasma is frozen and can be stored as fresh frozen plasma for one year and as frozen plasma for up to five years at a temperature of minus 19 degrees centigrade.
Yes, all dogs in the UK have access to the blood as all veterinary surgeons are able to purchase blood from Pet Blood Bank UK.
Just like people, sick and injured animals frequently need blood transfusions. In many cases, blood transfusions can save a pet's life. Blood is used for many purposes including cases involving trauma, surgery and disease.
Dogs weighing over 25kg can donate up to 450ml.
For dogs, the blood donation process takes about 5 - 10 minutes, but you should allow for up to 30 - 40 minutes at a blood collection session. This is what happens:
Dogs receive a physical examination and a health history is taken.
A small area of hair on your dog's neck is carefully clipped and the area cleaned.
About 450ml of blood is drawn (depending on your dog's weight)
After donation, your dog will be brought to the refreshments area.
Once at home, they may want to take it easy but many will get on with their normal routine.
If you have a dog which meets the criteria to donate, please register with us so that we can add you and your dog's details to our database and contact you about donating.
If you don't have a dog which meets the criteria you can still get involved by recommending friends with large dogs, volunteering at a session or fundraising for us.
We hope that a mobile unit will allow us to travel further to collect, process and store blood before returning it to the Loughborough base for storage and sale. We are currently raising funds to make this possible.
We hope to be able to include other pets, such as cats, in the blood bank scheme in the future.