"Few know that pets can become blood donors"

The need for dogs that regularly give blood is great. In Stockholm, however, the situation is stable at the moment, but it can still be important to have many registered blood donors as an unforeseen need can arise urgently.

The dog must weigh at least 27 kilos and be fully healthy to receive blood. Many blood donor dogs are shepherds, who often have the habit of obeying their owner. It also needs to be over a year old - and at about the age of eight, the dog retires. Dogs have more blood groups than humans, at least 13, but they are usually divided into "negative" and "positive" blood groups. The blood can be stored for five weeks, and therefore constant refilling is required in the blood bank.

Cats can also give blood, but they must then be of the larger kind.

There are some ethical abrasions about pets and blood donation, since the animal has not chosen to give blood itself.

- Since blood donations are a voluntary effort from pet owners, it is important that it is a positive experience for the dog as well. In order to become a blood donor, the dog must be calm during the bottling, says Sandra Douglas, chief veterinarian at AniCura Sweden.

In Bagarmossen during Monday, "Blood Donor of the Year" was named. The first prize went to an energetic flat-coated retriever named Lucas, who is now nine years and therefore retires after giving blood to the animal health care a full 21 times.