Cheat Lake Animal Hospital & Feline Veterinary Care of Morgantown Blood Donation Program
The Blood Donation Program at Cheat Lake Animal Hospital and Feline Veterinary Care of Morgantown is a 1 year calendar commitment. All accepted donors MUST be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
Depending on your pet’s current exam and vaccine status, we will pull blood from your pet for blood typing, FelV/FIV test or HWT test, and assess their demeanor during the appointment. Charges for this visit, along with the length of this visit will depend on your pet’s needs, exam and vaccinations.
After this appointment, our technicians will reach out to the Blood Donor Program committee and discuss your pet’s status. If determined that your pet would be a candidate for the Blood Donor Program, a member of our committee will reach out to you with further details. Our donors receive an $81.00 credit on their account and 3 months of heartworm preventative at the time of donating. There is a maximum of four (4) donations that can be done in a year (once every 3 months), and donors are retired from the program on their 8th birthday. If for some reason a pet’s demeanor changes throughout their donation career, we may make the decision to remove the pet from the program.
Prior to each donation, a CBC (complete blood count) will be performed to assure the donor is healthy to donate. Each pet gets shaved in two (2) locations at the time of donating (pets do not get shaved for blood typing appointments) – one small patch on the neck to pull blood, and one on their leg for an IV catheter placement to administer fluids and sedation. The donor will need to be dropped off for the duration of the donation – the normal stay is 2-6 hours, but could be longer depending on the situation. Sedation and collection time is roughly 15-30 minutes. When it is time for a donation, we will attempt to contact you 3 times. If we are unsuccessful in contacting you after 3 attempts, it will result in removal from the donor program. If you choose to remove your pet from the donor program at any time, we require a 7 day notice of removal.
Requirements to be a Feline Blood Donor:
Age: 1-7 years
Must be a current client/patient
Strictly indoors
Weight: 10 lbs +
Yearly exam AND vaccinated for DRCC and Rabies
Have a record of a NEGATIVE FelV/FIV test
Has not received blood products
No chronic health issues, no sign of a potential disease (vomiting, diarrhea)
No history of pregnancy/birth in females
Cannot be on any chronic medications
Criteria to be a Canine Blood Donor:
Age : 1-7 years (to admit to program, dogs can donate blood up to 8 years of age)
Weight : 50 lbs + (Can take smaller dogs for smaller donations – 35 to 50 pounds)
Yearly Exam and vaccinated forDHPP, Lepto, Lyme and Rabies
Yearly negative Heartworm 4DX test (lyme, ehrlichia, anaplasmosis)
On monthly year-round heartworm and flea/tick prevention
Has not received blood productsNo chronic health issues
No Doberman breeds unless tested for Von Willebran (client must pay for this test)
Cannot be on any chronic medications
