Corporate Sponsors
All dog and cat blood donors are fed courtesy of The Iams Company.
All dog and cat blood donors receive Frontline and Heartgard courtesy of Merial.
All dog and cat blood donors receive Advantix and Advantage courtesy of Bayer Animal Health.
VPL provides D.A.P. and Feliway for the wellbeing of our blood donors.
Donors receive 4DX and FIV/FeLV snap tests courtesy of Idexx Laboratories.
All our cat blood donors are tested with Solo Step FH provided by Heska.
Blood Bank Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
A (type blood) – one of three blood types for cats (felines); type “A” cat blood can only be received by other type “A” cats.
AB (type blood) – one of three blood types for cats (felines); type “AB” cats are very rare and cannot be used as donors.
acute -severe, sharp, begins quickly.
acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) - a cancer of the blood in which too many immature (not fully formed) lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, are found in the bone marrow, blood, spleen, liver, and other organs.
acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) - a cancer of the blood in which too many immature (not fully formed) granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, are found in the bone marrow and blood.
anemia - a blood disorder caused by a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells).
antithrombin deficiency – antithrombin is a protein in the blood that causes the formation of blood clots, and low levels of the protein can cause formation of unusual blood clots that can damage organs. (See Frozen Plasma Product).
aplastic anemia - one type of anemia that occurs when the bone marrow produces too few of all three types of blood cells: red cells, white cells, and platelets.
apheresis - a procedure in which an animal's own blood is removed, particular fluid and cellular elements are extracted from the blood, then returned to the animal.
autologous bone marrow transplantation - a procedure in which a animal's own bone marrow is removed, the animal is then treated with anticancer drugs or radiation, then the bone marrow is returned to the animal.
autosomal recessive inheritance - a gene on one of the first 22 pairs of chromosomes, which, when present in two copies, causes a trait or disease to be expressed.
B
B (blood type) – one of three blood types for cats (felines); it is more common in Pure Breed Cats; Type B blood can only be given to Type B cats.
blasts- immature blood cells.
blood - the life-maintaining fluid which is made up of plasma, red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets; blood circulates through the body's heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries; it carries away waste matter and carbon dioxide, and brings nourishment, electrolytes, hormones, vitamins, antibodies, heat, and oxygen to the tissues.
blood banking - the process that takes place in a laboratory to ensure that the donated blood or blood products are safe before they are used for blood transfusions or other veterinary medical procedures.
bone marrow - the soft, spongy tissue found inside bones. It is the site of development and storage of about 95 percent of an animal's blood cells.
blood types – dogs and cats have unique blood types as do humans characterized by See Donor types.
blood typing – a process to determine a dog or cat's blood type by serological (pertaining to blood serum) methods.
C
clotting - the sealing of a blood vessel with coagulated blood.
clotting factors – any of the factors in the blood whose actions are essential for blood coagulation
chronic - being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) - a slowly progressing cancer of the blood in which too many white blood cells are produced in the bone marrow.
complete blood count (CBC) - a measurement of size, number, and maturity of the different blood cells in a specific volume of blood.
More about CBC.
cryopoor (cryoprecipitate-poor) plasma – a blood product produced by the Animal Blood Bank. Cryoprecipitate-poor Plasma contains all coagulation factors except von Willebrand's factor and factor VIII. Therefore, it can be used in the treatment of rodenticide toxicity as well as the replacement of proteins (albumin and immunoglobulins). Cryopoor Plasma SHOULD NOT be used to treat von Willebrand's disease or Hemophilia A.
cryoprecipitate - a blood product produced by the Animal Blood Bank. Cryoprecipitate is rich in factor VIII and von Willebrand's factor, so it is used for the treatment of hemophilia A and von Willebrand's disease; it can also be used as a topical hemostatic in surgery.
D
donor – an eligible dog or cat who regularly provides a donation of blood to the Animal Blood Bank where we process the blood into one or more blood products. See Donor types, donor benefits, donor eligibility and blood products.
donor types – there are three types of dog (canine) and cat (feline) blood donors or blood types. See Donor types.
E
enzymes – Proteins that regulate the chemical reactions inside every living cell and organism.
enzyme measurements - when damage to an animal's organ occurs, enzymes are released into the blood circulation and the measurement of those levels provides a clear indication of where problems exist. More about enzyme measurements.
erythrocytes – red blood cells.
F
factor - a protein in the blood that is needed to form the blood clot.
folic acid deficiency- a deficiency in a B vitamin known as folic acid, which can cause megaloblastic anemia.
fresh-frozen plasma – a blood product produced by the Animal Blood Bank from donor dogs and cats; it contains all clotting factors and albumin. It is used to bleeding due to anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity, liver failure, DIC, or congenital clotting deficiencies.
frozen plasma – a blood product produced by the Animal Blood Bank from donor dogs; it contains minimal amounts of clotting factors V and VIII but can be used to treat rodenticide toxicity, hypoproteinemia, pancreatitis, antithrombin deficiency, or hemophelia B.
G
gene - a segment of DNA that codes for a trait such as blood type or eye color, as well as susceptibility to certain diseases.
graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) - the condition that results when the immune cells of a transplant (usually of bone marrow) from a donor attack the tissues of the person receiving the transplant.
granulocytes - a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infection. The types of granulocytes include: basophils, eosinophils, and neutrophils.
H
hemarthrosis -bleeding into a joint.
hematocrit - the measurement of the percentage of red blood cells found in a specific volume of blood.
hematologist - a physician who specializes in the functions and disorders of the blood.
hematology - the scientific study of blood and blood-forming tissues.
hematopoiesis - the process of producing and developing new blood cells.
hemoglobin - a type of protein in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues of the body.
hemoglobin S-beta thalassemia - having one copy of the gene which causes sickle cell anemia (HbS) and one copy of a mutated gene in the beta-chain of hemoglobin; this blood disorder produces a moderate anemia and some or all of the symptoms of sickle cell anemia.
hemolysis - the destruction of red blood cells by the body.
hemolytic anemia - one type of anemia in which the red blood cells are destroyed prematurely.
hemophilia - an inherited bleeding disorder caused by low levels, or absence of, a blood protein that is essential for clotting; hemophilia A is caused by a lack of the blood clotting protein factor VIII; hemophilia B is caused by a deficiency of factor IX.
hemorrhagic anemia- anemia caused by a sudden loss of a large amount of blood.
hypercalcemia – unusually high levels of calcium in the blood as seen in rodenticide poisoning by agents containing Vitamin D versus warfarin.
hypoproteinemia - abnormally low level of protein in the blood; can indicate inadequate diet or intestinal or renal disorders
I
iron deficiency anemia - the most common type of anemia. It is the lack of iron in the blood, which is necessary to make hemoglobin.
J
jaundice -yellowing of the skin, eyes, and oral mucosa.
K
L
lesion – any visible abnormal structural change in a bodily part or any break in the skin or an organ caused by violence, toxin or surgical incision.
leukemia –a cancer of the blood-forming tissue. Leukemic cells look different than normal cells and do not function properly.
leukocytes – see white blood cells .
lymphocytic leukemia - a type of leukemia in which the cancer develops in the lymphocytes (lymphoid cells).
M
mutation - a change in a gene.
myelogenous leukemia - a type of leukemia in which the cancer develops in the granulocytes or monocytes (myeloid cells).
myeloproliferative disorders - diseases in which the bone marrow produces too many of one of the three types of blood cells: red blood cells , which carry oxygen to all the tissues in the body; white blood cells , which fight infection; and platelets , which makes blood clot.
N
O
P
pancreatitis – inflammation of the pancreas; usually marked by abdominal pain (see Frozen Plasma products).
petechiae –tiny red dots under the skin that are the result of very small bleeds.
plasma - the watery, liquid part of the blood in which the red blood cells, the white blood cells, and platelets are suspended. (See Fresh Frozen Plasma, Frozen Plasma, Cryoprecipitate, and Cryopoor Plasma Products produced by the Animal Blood Bank).
plasma blood type – in dogs (canines), the “plasma blood type” means we cannot use their red blood cells, however we can use their plasma to produce a myriad of plasma-based products.
platelets - cells found in the blood that are needed to help the blood to clot in order to control bleeding; often used in the treatment of leukemia and other forms of cancer.
pluripotent stem cell - the most primitive, undeveloped blood cell.
positive blood - a dog (canine) blood type. Only “positive” dogs can receive “positive” blood.
purpura- the purple color of skin after blood has “leaked” under it, such as in a bruise.
Q
R
red blood cells (also called RBCs or erythrocytes.) - blood cells that mainly help transport oxygen to all the tissues in the body. (See Packed Red Blood Cells Products).
rodenticide poisoning – unfortunately, pets sometimes ingest rodent poisons (house mouse or rat). There are two primary types of agents used in these poisons. The first type, warfarin, is a chemical agent that causes uncontrollable hemorrhage due an inability for the blood to clot as it blocks the ability of Vitamin K to be utilized as a clotting factor. The second type of poison causes an excessive amount of calcium (hypercalcemia) to form in the body – essentially due to ingestion of abnormally high levels of Vitamin D. Both are life-threatening emergencies for pets. Treatment for warfarin poisoning can be successful with blood products such as fresh-frozen plasma, frozen plasma or cryopoor plasma.
S
stem cells - the blood cells that reproduce and develop into other blood cells.
T
types – dogs and cats have a blood type, as do humans, however they are different in their classification – there are three different “types” for each species. See donor types.
U
universal blood – a blood type in dogs (canines) - any dog can receive universal blood.
universal donor – dog blood donors who provide universal blood type. Greyhounds as a breed are most typically universal blood donors
V
von Willebrand disease -a form of bleeding disorder caused by an abnormality in the von Willebrand factor, which is necessary for platelets to be able to attach themselves to a vein or artery to form a clot to stop bleeding. (See Cryoprecipitate Product).
W
white blood cells (also called WBCs or leukocytes) - blood cells involved in the destruction of viruses, bacteria, and fungi which cause infection.
X
Y
Z
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| Emergencies | Address | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| (614) 292-3551 | 601 Vernon L. Tharp Street Columbus, OH 43210 |
Companion animal | (614) 292-3551 |
| Farm animal & Equine | (614) 292-6661 |
| Address | Phone |
|---|---|
| 1900 Coffey Road Columbus, OH 43210 |
(614) 292-1171 |
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© 2008 The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine
