BluePearl sees drop in blood donations amid pandemic challenges

BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospitals found a 47% drop in pet blood donations per transfusion from 2017 to 2020.

This comes as demand for pet blood donors has increased in recent years. The pandemic has likely exacerbated the issue, according to BluePearl.

The hospital chain, which has 11 pet blood banks across the country and whose practices collectively perform more than 500 pet blood transfusions each month, saw a 19% decline in the number of pet blood donations in 2020 compared to 2019. Changes to hospital processes, increased wait times and safety concerns have likely discouraged clients and their pets from participating in local blood donation programs, officials said.

“Providing safe blood to pets who are in immediate need is challenging, as there are only a handful of pet blood banks across the U.S., and the pandemic has decreased overall donations,” said James Barr, BluePearl’s chief medical officer. “To supply veterinarians around the country with sufficient blood, we simply need more donors.”

BluePearl hospitals may offer blood transfusions to pets undergoing critical surgery or suffering from heart disease, heat stroke, immune system conditions, kidney disease or injury, acute trauma or poisoning.

More information on eligibility for pets to donate blood is available from BluePearl.