What happened to Gus
In September 2026 Gus stopped eating, then stopped wanting to walk. When we lifted his lip his gums were the color of paper. The diagnosis was IMHA: his own immune system was destroying his red blood cells faster than his body could make them.
The drugs that stop IMHA take days to work. Gus didn't have days. He had four units of blood from four dogs we've never met, whose owners had signed them up, driven them in, and held their ears while a pint was drawn. Each unit bought him about a day. Four days was what the medicine needed.
He came home. He can never donate himself, because a dog who has had a transfusion is excluded for life. So we're doing it for him.
How to help, in three steps
- 1Check if your dog can donate
Six quick questions about age, weight and health. Take the check
- 2Contact a blood bank near you
They screen and blood-type your dog for free, then book donations. Find one
- 3Add your dog to the pack and tell a friend
Most people have never heard of dog blood donation. Every share reaches someone new. Join the pack
Which dogs need blood
Each condition explained, with the research behind it, in Learn. Curious about therapeutic plasma exchange? That's there too.
Why the supply is so fragile
Human blood banking has national infrastructure. Veterinary medicine mostly does not. Many hospitals rely on staff-owned dogs, a local volunteer list, or units shipped in overnight.
Some emergencies can't wait for a shipment. Donors who are already typed, screened and nearby make the difference.
Caring for a dog after a hospital stay? The app we used to manage Gus's recovery is opening up to other families.
See the care trackerCan my dog donate blood?
Six questions, about a minute. This is a rough guide to the criteria most programs use. Every blood bank sets its own rules, and their vet makes the final call.
Find a dog blood bank near you
Real programs across the US, listed from their own websites and news coverage. Requirements change, so confirm details with them before you go. Don't see one near you? The map searches below cover everywhere.
Tap a pin for details. The AVHTM directory lists more blood banks. Know a program we're missing? Tell us about it.
Search Google Maps near you
Review a blood bank
Donated, tried to, or needed blood from one of these? Your experience helps the next owner decide. Reviews are checked before they appear, usually within a few days. Your email is never shown.
What to ask when you call
Run a blood bank or donor program that's missing or out of date? Update your listing.
The pack
These are dogs whose owners have pledged to donate, are being screened, or already give blood. The pack shows people that ordinary dogs do this, so more owners sign up.
The pack doesn't replace signing up with a blood bank. That's where your dog actually donates. Find one first, then add your dog here.
Add your dog to the pack
Free. Your dog's name, breed, rough area and story are shown publicly, so a first name and a town or county is plenty. Your email stays private.
Dog blood donation questions
Can dogs donate blood?
Yes. Healthy dogs can give blood much like people do. It is collected at vet hospitals, vet schools and animal blood banks, then used for dogs who are bleeding, anemic or have clotting problems.
Which dogs can be blood donors?
Most programs look for healthy, calm dogs between about 1 and 7 years old who weigh at least 50 pounds, are current on vaccines, and have never had a transfusion. Each program sets its own rules.
Does donating blood hurt my dog?
A needle goes into a vein in the neck, much like a routine blood draw. Most dogs lie still for it awake while someone rubs their ears. Programs screen for temperament, and a dog who finds it stressful won't be asked to continue.
How much blood is taken and how long does it take?
A large dog usually gives about one unit, around 450 ml, similar in proportion to a human donation. Collection takes about 10 to 20 minutes. Allow about an hour for the visit, including checks and a rest afterwards.
How often can my dog donate?
Usually every few months. The exact gap depends on the program and your dog's bloodwork.
What is DEA 1.1 and what's a universal donor?
DEA 1.1 is the dog blood type that matters most for transfusion reactions. Dogs who are DEA 1.1 negative can give to far more dogs, so they're called universal donors and are in high demand. Greyhounds and Irish Wolfhounds are often DEA 1.1 negative.
Does my dog need to be spayed or neutered?
Some programs require it and others don't. Ask the blood bank when you call.
What does my dog get for donating?
Most programs offer free blood typing and health screening. Many add yearly bloodwork, heartworm, flea and tick prevention, food, and free blood if your own dog ever needs it.
My dog is on medication. Can they still donate?
Usually not, though heartworm, flea and tick prevention is generally required rather than a problem. A dog who has ever had a transfusion is typically excluded for life, which is why Gus can never donate.
Can small dogs or cats donate?
Most dog programs need donors of at least 40 to 50 pounds. Cats need donors too, with different requirements and usually sedation. Ask the same hospitals.
Is there a time of year for pet blood donation?
January is National Blood Donor Month, and many vet hospitals use it to recruit pet donors as well. But blood is needed year-round, and summer shortages are common when donors are away.
Bringing your dog home from the hospital is when the real work starts
The Pints for Pups care tracker keeps a recovering dog's medications, daily checks, bloodwork and vet paperwork in one place on your phone, shared with everyone who helps care for them.
We built it for Gus after he came home from IMHA treatment with a long list of medications, some given three times a day. It's now being opened up to other families.
What it does
Set each medication and when it's given. Tick doses off through the day, and switch a medication off when the vet stops it.
Log eating, bathroom, gum colour, energy and notes in under a minute, so you notice changes early.
Enter PCV and other results and watch the trend on a chart instead of digging through printouts.
Photograph a visit summary and the app reads it into a tidy update. The reading happens on your phone, and nothing is uploaded.
Keep lab results, prescriptions and invoices with a photo timeline of gums, skin or wounds.
Create a PDF of the last week, two weeks, or everything since discharge to email or bring to a recheck.
Invite a partner, a dog sitter or a neighbour, and choose who can log and who can only view.
Export a spreadsheet or a full backup whenever you like.
Gus left the hospital with a bag of pill bottles, injections to give through the day and a sheet of warning signs to watch for. This is what we used so nobody doubled a dose or missed one.
Get early access
Leave your email and we'll send you a link as soon as a place opens. We'll only use it for the care tracker.
Work with us
Awareness is the bottleneck. Most owners never hear that dogs can donate until their own dog needs blood. If your organization can help change that, we'd like to hear from you.
Add or correct your listing, share an urgent need, or respond to a review.
Put a poster with a QR code in your waiting room, or send us donors when you're short.
Sponsor donor thank-you perks, fund awareness campaigns, or support transfusion research.
Share Gus's story, co-host a donor drive, or feature dog blood donation.