{"id":128252,"date":"2025-11-21T19:54:54","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T19:54:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/?p=128252"},"modified":"2025-11-24T20:20:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T20:20:36","slug":"considerations-for-creating-a-small-animal-blood-bank","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarynurse.com\/practice-management\/considerations-for-creating-a-small-animal-blood-bank\/","title":{"rendered":"Considerations for Creating a Small Animal Blood Bank"},"content":{"rendered":"

T<\/span>he growing demand for canine and feline blood products, coupled with ongoing supply shortages, has left many veterinary clinics across the United States considering the possibility of starting their own blood banks. Globally, the industry is exploring innovative strategies to increase blood product availability for small animals, such as mobile blood donation centers in Asia1<\/sup> and leveraging small animal shelter populations in Italy.2<\/sup><\/p>\n

Limited research has been conducted regarding public awareness of pet blood banks. One study surveyed veterinary clients to assess their awareness of small animal blood banks. The findings supported the authors\u2019 hypothesis that many pet owners are unfamiliar with animal blood banks and that limited education and awareness were the major barriers preventing pet owners from considering blood donation for their pets.3<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

This article will review some of the top considerations for veterinary clinics looking to start their own blood bank to help meet the growing demand for small animal blood products.<\/span><\/p>\n

Check State and Local Regulations<\/h2>\n

State-level regulatory boards and veterinary medical boards are the main governing bodies for animal blood banks in the United States. There are currently no licensing requirements for veterinary blood banks in 49\u00a0states. California, the exception, has established a state-specific governing body, the California Department of Food and Agriculture Animal Blood Banks Program. Regardless of where one lives, it is important to check city and state regulations before establishing a blood bank to ensure compliance. It is also important to note that the U.S. FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine does have a low profile for animal blood banks and has the right to visit and inspect all animal blood banks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Create Processes and Procedures<\/h2>\n

When creating a blood bank, it is essential to maintain meticulous records, adhering to ethical and best practice standards established by the Association of Veterinary Hematology and Transfusion Medicine (AVHTM), the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM), and the AVMA.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the widespread use of veterinary blood products and publications on donor selection, blood collection and product administration are at times based on surveys completed by veterinary professionals.4<\/sup> Several groups within veterinary medicine, such as the AVHTM, ACVIM, and Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, are working to expand data collection and create guidelines. As with many advances in veterinary medicine, guidance is often drawn from human medicine. Resources from the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies help shape veterinary blood banks. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) should be created using resources from these groups before collections begin, and all staff should be trained to follow them meticulously. SOPs should encompass <\/span>donor screening, collection, blood handling, component processing (if applicable), record keeping, storage, usage, and redistribution packaging (if applicable).<\/span><\/p>\n

Even when products are collected on an as-needed basis and administered directly to another patient, detailed records must be maintained. This may include documentation of testing performed on the donor in accordance with the blood bank\u2019s SOP, donor vitals (both pre- and postcollection), the volume collected, the vein utilized, the overall donation process, donor recovery postdonation, and storage of an aliquot from each unit for 1 year in the event that a unit needs to be tested for suspected contamination.<\/span><\/p>\n

Start With Whole Blood Collection<\/h2>\n

One of the more manageable routes of blood collection for an in-house voluntary-based blood bank is collection and administration of whole blood. Starting with whole blood products eliminates the need for expensive equipment used to process whole blood into its components. This start-up method also allows time to build a donor pool and obtain training and further experience with blood collection while still allowing the administration of lifesaving blood.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main blood bank supplies that are necessary to collect whole blood include collection bags with anticoagulant, a blood scale, atraumatic clamps, tube strippers, and a tube sealer or aluminum clamps (<\/span>FIGURE 1<\/span><\/strong>). The collection and storage of whole blood also require a medical-grade blood refrigerator that has temperature-monitoring capabilities and an alarm system that alerts users to any temperatures reached outside of a set parameter.5<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n